Once Touched
by PaisleyRose
Summary: Mortals who have danced with the fairies are rarely safe after being saved from their enthrallment. Often, they find that what seemed to be but a brief foray into fairyland was indeed much longer in the mortal realm, possibly weeks or years.
1. Chapter 1

_**Once touched**_

_**By**_

_**The official Bardic Scribe of the Goblin King**_

_**Paisley Rose**_

_***&***_

_**Disclaimer**_

_**I own it not,**_

_**I get no pay,**_

_**I have to write **_

_**Or the King will slay….**_

_**(it rhymed…)**_

_**Seriously,**_

_**The Labyrinth and all its inhabitants are the sole property**_

_**Of The Jim Henson Company.**_

_**Can I help it if they don't treat it right and the King has other ideas?**_

_***&***_

_**Prologue**_

_**There are certain rules and regulations that must be observed when one is dealing with the community of beings known as the Fae. **_

_**Don't ever ask a nature spirit's name. This is bad manners and, besides, they won't tell you. It is said that knowledge of a faery name by another confers power over the faery on that person.**_

Never eat their food, even when offered, because something may be asked for in return. Accepting the faery cake may put you under an obligation to them.

Some nature spirits dislike being disturbed by humans or even being seen by them. Never intrude. If they run from you, don't give chase and if they ask you to leave, go.

Never put a faery down or make comparisons that put them in a bad light. Claiming, for instance, that a child is fairer than a faery is certain to provoke their anger.

Some traditions warn of even speaking of the faeries.

Above all, tread lightly.

Or stay away. An Irish lady was asked if she believed in the little people. Her reply was that she didn't believe in them but that she knew they were there. Maybe she had the best idea.

_**People carried off to fairyland cannot return if they eat or drink there. Fairy and human lovers can marry, though only with restrictions whose violation ends the marriage, and often, the life of the human. Some female fairies are deadly to human lovers. Fairies may resemble humans in size. Female fairies may be fortune tellers, particularly prophesying at births and foretelling deaths. Celtic folk beliefs generally paint fairy rings as dangerous places, best avoided. Mortals who have danced with the fairies are rarely safe after being saved from their enthrallment. Often, they find that what seemed to be but a brief foray into fairyland was indeed much longer in the mortal realm, possibly weeks or years. The person rescued from the fairy ring may have no memory of their encounter with the sprites. In most tales, the saved interlopers face a grim fate.**_

_***Sarah Williams should have known this~  
**_

_**Chapter 1.**_

__It should have been the happiest day of her life, but it was far from that. Sarah Williams lay in bed, demanding that the sun not rise that September morning. A demand like so many others she'd made in recent days that seemed to be going unheeded. The sun was rising, the birds outside her bedroom window were singing and Sarah Williams was not at all happy about any of it. Pulling the eiderdown pillow over her head, she closed her big green eyes tight as if that would keep the dawn from arriving. "Just stop the world and let me get off," she moaned into the mattress of her canopy bed.

Moments later she heard the light tapping on her closed door, and the cheery voice of her stepmother greeting her. "Good morning you lucky girl," Karen's voice was more sugary than usual. "What a lovely morning for a wedding!" The woman entered the room and pulled the drapes back allowing sunlight to stream into the room. "Come on sleepyhead," she giggled. "You've got to get ready."

Sarah sat up, looked at Karen with an expression of contempt, "Must you be so frickin' happy so early in the morning?"

Karen paused and pursed her lips. "What did you drink last night?" She didn't really take the insult from her stepdaughter too seriously. Over the last few years they had become closer as Sarah had matured.

Having second thoughts about taking this out on her stepmother, Sarah hung her head, "I'm sorry Karen; it must be the jitters, I really didn't drink last night."

Karen's happy smile had already faded, and was in no hurry of return. "Sarah," she came over to the bed and took a seat, "Is something wrong?" She reached out a comforting hand to the girl she'd helped bring up.

"No, what could be wrong," Sarah lied without looking at the woman; she didn't want Karen fretting, not today. "I'm just stressing…." She stretched and pretended to put things right. "I'll take a shower and start my hair…. Could I have a cup of coffee please, before my mother arrives?"

The woman with strawberry blond hair was not convinced. "Sarah, if you have doubts…"

'Have doubts,' Sarah thought to herself before she spewed another lie to the other woman. "What doubts could I have," she asked airily. "Jeff is just about the most wonderful man ever born… he's successful, he's handsome, and he's got a great future ahead of him… he's perfect… and I should be the happiest girl in the world."

"But you're not," Karen's voice was low and gentle. "I can see it, you're not happy…"

Sarah shook her head, "I'm committed," she insisted with a positive attitude. "Daddy and Linda think this is the best thing in the world… that I should be grateful the man looked twice at me… that he's~"

Karen stood up briskly, "I don't care if Daddy and Linda are happy with the arrangement…" she protested positively. "I care about you, you Sarah." She bit her lip, "I don't mean that they don't…"

"Karen," Sarah leaned forward. "Today is my wedding day… I'm just having Bridal Nerves… that's all it is, Bridal Nerves."

Icy blue eyes watched the stepdaughter rise from the canopy bed. "If you say so…" she headed to the door. "I'll get your coffee."

"Thanks," Sarah said stretching once more, "I'll hit the shower and everything will be better." Once the other woman had exited the room Sarah slumped back down to the bed, her shoulders sagging. It was harder than she'd thought to fool Karen. And if she could not fool Karen how in the world was she going to fool the rest, she was not that good an actress! She was not Linda Williams, actress extraordinaire, the woman could even convince herself it need be. Sarah on the other hand was not that good. She was going to have to work harder to pull this wedding off.

Sarah thought about Jefferson Davis Daniels, the man she was about to take as a husband. Jeff was everything she'd just told Karen, he was handsome, rich, and successful. He was everything most girls dreamed of, attentive and completely able to support a wife in a grand style. He was tall, dark and dreamy, but there was just something he lacked, something that irked Sarah to no end. Jeff for all he was, was not in the slightest dangerous. He was not cunning, or plotting or even mischievous. His dark brown eyes were like rich chocolate, and while full of life, didn't seem to have the power of a pair of eyes like stormy seas. In a nut shell, he wasn't anything like the Goblin King. But then no one on earth was, and it was a fact that Sarah had to accept.

Forcing herself to go to the bathroom where she pulled off her long linen night dress, she stepped into the shower and stood still while the water bombarded her. Closing her eyes she thought about the changes in her life since the night she'd accidently wished her brother into the hands of the Goblins and their King. At fifteen she'd gone through a long rebellious stage, and had been a most miserable and spoiled brat. She could see it now, all too clearly. She had blamed Karen for the failings of her parents, when poor Karen had little or nothing to do with it. She had heaped coals of anger on both Robert, her father, and Karen's heads while leaving her mother Linda and Linda's paramour blameless. All that changed on that stormy night, the night the Goblin King had come to answer her request.

After that night she didn't call Toby her half brother anymore, he was her little brother, not a half. She also took a new look at Karen, and saw a woman who had put her father's needs ahead of her own. Karen was absolutely the perfect wife for a lawyer, and the perfect hostess. Sarah had to admit that most of the requests made by her stepmother were more than reasonable, and that her taste while not as flamboyant as Linda's was impeccable and classic. She resolved to be more reasonable in her dealings with her stepmother, and it had made a vast change in their relationship.

When Toby was no longer in a crib but ready for a junior bed, it had been Karen who'd suggested the trade in rooms. The canopy bed, she'd observed was more girlish, and Toby would be fine in Sarah's bedroom. She pointed out that Sarah was growing into a young woman and really needed the larger bedroom with its private bath, and that Sarah's furnishings her vanity and other items matched the suite perfectly. Robert smiled and agreed. It had been Sarah who had been hesitating, but could not explain why. After all, how does one say to one's parents, 'I can't go in that room… that's the room I wished my brother away in and was challenged by the Goblin King…' No, it sounded nuts just thinking about it. Sarah's vanity had been moved in, and the young woman took a deep breath before entering. She'd half expected to find Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo looking back at her the first time she'd sat down at the vanity; however they didn't appear, not then or after. Sarah began to wonder if she'd lived the adventure at all…

High School was over all too soon, and Sarah attended the local junior college. No longer interested in the stage or in her mother's world, she took classes in journalism and creative writing. Her first article being published in the Nyack Villager spurred her on. She'd been only eighteen when they published her account of a local art festival. Then when she was nineteen she'd been offered a part time position at the paper, which led to her doing an interview with Jefferson… and the rest, was history as they say. Now one short year later Sarah was going to waltz down an aisle and become Mrs. Jefferson Daniels; unless something or someone was able to stop this insanity.

Sarah found a steaming mug of fresh brewed coffee sitting on the vanity, waiting for her. Taking her seat, she lifted the mug gingerly and looked in the mirror. "Hoggle where are you when I really need you," she lamented before sipping the piping hot brew. "I could really use your comfort my old friend." She moaned pitifully before lowering the mug back to the coaster that Karen had thoughtfully placed on her pretty white vanity.

The refection in the mirror didn't show the weathered face of the gardener from the Labyrinth. The only image in the mirror was a young woman whose youthful beauty had blossomed into womanhood. Sarah put moisturizer into her hand, worked it into the palms of both hands and then applied it gently to her flawless skin. She'd been blessed with her mother's good skin and beauty, and her father's good senses. While she knew she was pretty, she didn't count on good looks alone to get her through life. She'd buckled down and applied herself in both high school and her college courses. She could have had a great career as a newspaper woman, or even as a novelist for that matter. She had written a children's storybook that had been very well received. It was her father who had pressed for her to wed. Now she wondered why she'd been so quick to give into her father's insistence.

She looked at the picture frame sitting on her vanity, the one that contained the portrait of her intended. Jefferson was handsome, no mistaking that; his big brown eyes were full of confidence and manly pride. He was a man's man, enjoying polo and fishing equally. He was well spoken and well accepted. He was the kind of man most of Sarah's high school buddies were looking for. He was as comfortable in a saddle as he was a board room, and a skillful dancer. Sarah looked at the dark, handsome face, and shook her head. Turning to look at her reflection she turned her attention back to her makeup. This was her wedding day and she should look her best.

"Don't you look wonderful," a breathy female voice asked disturbing the girl's concentration.

Sarah didn't have to turn; the voice belonged to Linda Williams, her actress mother. "Mom," she greeted quietly.

Linda, dressed in a peacock blue Chanel suit that fit her like a second skin, moved into the room as if the home was still hers. "Add a touch of blue to your liner," she suggested, "It will give those green eyes a hint of mystery." She took a seat on Sarah's bed while the girl continued her makeup.

"How are you, Mom?" Sarah asked cordially.

"Wonderful, of course," Linda purred with reason. Her career was soaring, and her long term relationship with Jeremy Eden had blossomed into a well heeled marriage. "Jeremy and I are booked for a tour of the continent with the play this winter." She boasted proudly.

"That's nice," Sarah said truly happy for both her mother and Jeremy.

"Yes, well," Linda removed her gloves and shrugged. "I was actually going to suggest that you and Jefferson take some time to join us, perhaps around Christmas in England."

Sarah paused, hesitating in her movements, "I think Jefferson has us booked with his family in Virginia for that time, Mom." Sarah heard the slight resentment in her tone, a matter that gave her some concern. While she liked Jeff's family, she really didn't want to spend the entire Christmas season with them at the hunting lodge they kept.

"Oh, well maybe next year," Linda said oblivious of her daughter's concerns. "We'll be in Budapest for Easter, perhaps then." She flicked an imagined dust mote off her skirts.

Continuing with her makeup Sarah smiled, "Perhaps," but she had her doubts. Jeff had planned out a year long's itinerary, and very little of the time was going to Sarah's family. Jefferson was a man on the move up, and had told Sarah he expected his wife to support his upward climb. Sarah wondered what kind of upward climb the man could be making when he was already a success! His business sense was amazing, and it was rumored he was going to head into the political arena. Sarah shuddered involuntarily, and completely unnoticed by her mother.

"So did you tender your resignation," Linda asked blithely.

"Yes," Sarah heard the hardening edge and worked at softening her feelings of animosity. "They were very understanding," she added.

"Why wouldn't they be," Linda teased, "After all, you're going to be very busy with Jeff and his schedule. Much too busy to be bothered with covering silly things like art fairs or even that Renaissance Faire. You're going places Sarah." Her mother sounded prouder of the fact that Sarah was 'going places', then she'd ever been of the work she'd done for the paper.

"Yes," Sarah said quietly, "I guess I am."

"Time to get started on that hair," Linda suggested pointedly. "I do hope you're going to put it up…"

"Yes Mother," Sarah answered knowing that she was going to have to if she hoped to get the veil to sit right. The complicated veil with its elaborate head piece had been her mother's idea, not hers. In fact the wedding dress had been her mother's idea as well. Now she was stuck with a veil she didn't like, a wedding dress that she hated, and a groom she didn't want.

Linda looked at her jeweled wrist watch, "Better get a move on, the photographer will be here in an hour."

"Yes, Mother." Sarah went back to the bath to finish drying and curling her hair.

--

Toby stood in the doorway, watching his sister talk to her mother. His lips set in a grim thin line. While he didn't dislike Linda, today he really was not happy about her being there. He didn't like the way Sarah was just going along. It was so not like her, this was not the normal behavior of his sister at all. For as long as he could remember Sarah had fire and spirit, and a sense of adventure, but this was not the way she was behaving today. Toby had seen no spark of fire in his sister in weeks, no, in months. Not since the announcement of the pending wedding. He moved away when she'd retreated to the bathroom to dry her hair. Slowly he moved to the back stairs that would take him to the kitchen of the big old Victorian house. His mother was putting the final touches on a breakfast plate for him, and smiled sweetly as he sullenly entered the room.

"What's the matter grumpy Gus?" she asked as she poured his juice.

"Does Sarah have to get married," he asked sullenly, placing his elbows on the table and cradling his chin in his hands.

"Now Toby, we've been through this before," Karen ruffled his unruly shank of hair. In the past few years the blond hair had come in thick and wild. No matter how they cut it, it seemed to have a mind of its own. "Sarah's grown up and deserves to have a house and home of her own, and a family that she's starting."

"Sarah can get married," Stormy blue eyes looked up at her, "I just don't want her to marry that jerk," he glowered.

"Toby," Karen admonished, looking about to make sure no one heard the slur against Sarah's intended. "I told you not to call him that. It's not nice!"

"Sorry," he said with a sniffle.

"It's alright," she promised, "Sarah will be home from her honeymoon in time to see you in the fall pageant, she promised." Karen tried to sound encouraging.

Toby had his doubts; Sarah had missed several events of late. Jeff had other plans, and Sarah had gone along with him. "She'd better," he warned darkly.

If Karen had heard the thinly veiled warning she had chosen to ignore it. "Eat, and get back up stairs and dress, the photographer will be here in an hour." She wiped her hands on a towel, "I'm going up to finish dressing myself, and help your father find his cufflinks." She paused for a moment to look out the back door. "Oh dear," she sighed, "Looks like a storm is brewing."

Toby watched her as she took the back stair case up to the floor above and the bedrooms. He walked to the door, the storm outside mirroring the one in his eyes.

--

Linda fastened the last of the thirty buttons on the back of Sarah's sleek gown, "Now didn't I tell you this was better than the one you were so sold on?" She boasted looking at the fashionable wedding dress. "You're a modern bride," she cooed.

Sarah hated the gown. She hated the long gloves and the revealing draped neckline with its lack of sleeves, and the 'mermaid' sweep of the bottom of the dress. It was Linda's taste, not hers. Her mother's praise of the dress was giving her a headache; she closed her eyes to the pain in her throbbing temples. There was so little of this wedding that she felt had been her idea… Not the dress, the veil or even the date had been Sarah's choosing. Not any of it~ including the groom. Sarah kept her eyes closed for a moment longer than she needed to, silently wishing something or someone would stop this insanity.

Toby, now dressed in his little ring bearer's tux stood in the doorway of his sister's room. "I think it's ugly." He said clearly leaning nonchalantly on the door frame. Standing there, dressed as he was, his arms folded across his chest, he looked far older than six.

Linda snorted at the little boy, "Don't you have something to do?"

"No," he said unfolding his arms and shoving his hands deeply into his pockets. "I just have to stay clean until the photographer gets here."

Looking down her nose at her ex-husband's second child, Linda frowned. "Don't bother your sister now, she's getting ready." There was a dark warning in her voice, a voice that was usually kind and generous with Toby. "Don't you want her to look perfect?"

"Yeah right," he snorted right back at the woman. "Sarah, Jeff is on the phone, says he needs to talk to you right now." He stepped back out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Maybe he's changed his mind."

"Little monster," Linda growled, "I swear that child is half goblin sometimes!"

Sarah, started by her mother's words gulped hard, "No he's not." She said defending her brother. "He's just unsettled by all the changes, and I for one don't blame him." She moved away from her mother huffily.

Linda felt a pang of guilt for upsetting Sarah, "I'm sorry honey, nerves you know."

Sarah moved to the hall where she picked up the extension to speak with her groom, "Jeff this had better be important," she warned. "I'm swamped here, and the photographer will be here any moment now."

Jeff laughed carelessly; "Sweetheart, this is very important," his voice was confident and robust. "You'd better pack that extra bag we talked about; we're going to be extending the wedding trip… _**I've **_received a rather prestigious invitation from the governor of Virginia!"

"How nice for you," Sarah sighed, not really as impressed as she knew she should be; "When?"

"Right after we return from Spain," he said still feeling pleased with himself, "Straight through to when we are due at my parents for the Thanksgiving Holidays."

Sarah, unaware that Toby was in the hall watching and listening, pursed her lips and stated in a very flat manner. "That won't work for me, Jeff. I promised Toby I'd be at his holiday recital, you know that."

Toby's body stiffened just as the first rumble of thunder sounded over head. His eyes began to narrow, and his lips thinned to a hard line. From where he stood he could clearly hear the voice of Sarah's groom on the phone. Toby always felt the man spoke much louder than he need to, all to be noticed and taken seriously. Toby's dislike of Jefferson was igniting to hate.

"Oh come on Sarah, surely he has enough attention from your father and his wife." Jeff sounded slightly annoyed. "I'm talking the governor! This is much more important than some silly school pageant."

"Jeff, I gave my word, and my word still means something to me," Sarah said and looked up as the shadows changed in the hall. The light from the window shifted, and Sarah saw the dark clouds rolling in. "Just great," she muttered. "Jeff couldn't we go to the Governor's mansion after Toby's recital?"

"No," Jeff said harshly. "I've already accepted for us."

"Well I already told Toby I'm attending his recital," Sarah countered. "And I made the engagement long before you got this invitation."

"He'll just have to understand," Jeff sluffed off the boy's sure to be hurt feelings. "Some things are more important than his recital."

"That's not fair," Sarah said, regretting the words as they exploded out of her lips.

"Life's not fair, time that spoiled brat learned that Sarah." Jeff stated without concern, "You and your parents baby the hell outta that kid, and it's time he learned a few facts of life. I've accepted and that's that. I'll see you in the church," the line went dead.

"Jeff, Jeff…" Sarah shook the receiver at the ceiling and the rumbling overhead. "Damn it!" Turning she saw Toby, "Not now," she warned as she stalked back to her room. Linda had gone down to greet the photographer; an old friend of hers was doing this shoot as a favor. Sarah could hear the voices of her mother and stepmother down in the foyer.

Toby followed Sarah into the bedroom, just as the lights began to flicker and the skies darken in earnest. "Sarah, you promised," he growled. "You promised you'd be at the recital."

Stressed and angry, Sarah stomped her foot, "Toby, not now!"

"Yes, now," he argued reaching for her arm. "Are you going to be there?"

"I want to," Sarah said pulling her arm free as the first bolt of lighten flashed. She looked at the rattling windows, now why did that strike a chord? The rain pelted the windows in long hard sheets.

"Want to shamon-to…" her brother railed. "Are you going to keep your promise?"

Wanting to pull her hair out, and to rip off the gown, Sarah backed away from the boy and his coming tantrum. "I may not be able to," she admitted feeling a sense of defeat that was foreign to her being.

"You lied to me!" he screamed.

Linda and Karen both heard the scream down in the foyer, and looked at one another. The photographer looked up at the stairs before looking at the shocked faces of the two women.

"No, I didn't," Sarah railed right back. "When I said I'd be there, I really thought I could be…Toby, you don't understand…"

"I hate you," Toby pulled off his tux jacket, throwing it to the floor and stomping on it. "And I hate this stupid wedding! And most of all I hate that stupid man you're going to marry."

"Toby," his mother's voice came from the stairs. "Toby what are you doing?"

Glaring at Sarah, he extended his hand, his index finger wagging in the flashing of lightening. "I hate you Sarah, and I wish the Goblins would come and take you away… right now!"

Sarah blinked; she knew those words all too well. "Toby…no…" she looked up as the lights flickered and went off. Sarah felt the flickering electricity in the air and screamed.

_**Lightning flashed and thunder hammered the air. Toby gave out with a **__**high-pitched**__** screech**__** of his own**__**, **__**the storm raged on over Sarah's house. The clouds boiled. Rain lashed the leaves on the trees. Thunder was followed by lightning. **_

_**Toby was listening. What he heard was an unnatural silence within the room. Sarah had stopped screaming so suddenly it scared her brother. He looked back to where she had been standing only a moment ago. The bedside light was out. "Sarah?" he called to her softly. She did not respond. There was no sound coming from within the room or from out in the hall, no sound at all coming from anywhere inside the house. The only sound was coming from the large French windows and the storm outside. **_

_**A white owl was flapping insistently on the glass; Toby could see the light from the landing reflected in its great, round, dark eyes, watching him intently. The whiteness of its plumage was illuminated by a series of lightning flashes that seemed continuous. Behind him, a goblin briefly raised his head, and ducked down again. Another did likewise both snickered and jeered. Toby didn't seem them; his eyes were fixed, locked on the owl's eyes. **_

_**Lightning crackled and flashed again, and this time it distracted him attention from the window by shining on the clock that stood on the mantelpiece; he saw that the hands were at thirteen o'clock. He blinked and was staring distractedly at the clock when he felt something nudge the back of his legs. He glanced down; something was moving across the carpet on scaly legs like a lizard's, with talons for toes. Toby's lips parted, but made no sound. **_

_**Behind him, something snickered. He spun around and saw it duck down again behind the chest of drawers. Shadows were scuttling across the walls. Goblins were prancing and bobbing behind him. Toby was watching the chest of drawers. Like the thing on the floor, it had a scaly, clawed foot at each corner, and it was dancing. Sarah's dresser and vanity were also dancing wildly .Even the tux jacket he had thrown on the floor was scurrying away.**_

_**Toby wheeled around, mouth open, hands clenched, and saw the goblins cavorting. They ducked away into the shadows, to evade his eyes .He looked for something that would serve as a weapon. In the corner of the bride's room was an old prop broom that had been used by Sarah in a play. Toby took it and advanced upon the goblins. "Go away. Go away," he demanded, trying to sweep them up, but the handle of the broom twisted in his hands and slithered out of his grasp. **_

_**The storm wind rose to a pitch. Lightning made daylight in the room, and scared faces suddenly began to vanish into cupboards, drawers, or down the cracks between floorboards. As the thunder boomed and the wind shook the curtains, a blast of air blew the window open violently. Between the fluttering curtains the white owl entered. **_

_**Toby wrapped his arms around his face, protectively and cried out. He felt the wind blowing his hair around, but the flapping had ceased. Between fingers he peeked out, to see where the bird was perched. Perhaps it had flown out again. A prolonged crackling of lightning was throwing a giant shadow on the wall facing the window. It was the shadow of a human figure. Toby pirouetted around as if in slow motion, with a grace he had no knowledge of. **_

_**Silhouetted against the stormy sky was a man, a vaguely familiar man. He wore a cloak, which swirled in the wind. Toby could see that his hair was shoulder-length and blond, the same shade that Toby's hair was. There was something else about his hair, its wild cut was familiar and Toby fought the urge to reach out and touch the strands that seemed to float on the air. Something glinted about this stranger's neck, an amulet of some kind; more than that he could not see in the dim light. **_

_** "Uh ...," Toby cleared his throat having for a moment forgotten all about Sarah. "Who are you?" **_

_**"Don't you know?" The man's voice was calm, almost kindly. Lightning traced the veins of the sky and lit up his face. He was not smiling, as one might smile on greeting a stranger, nor was his expression fierce. His eyes were fixed upon Toby's with an intensity he found compelling. When he took a step toward the boy, into the light shining from the doorway, Toby did not retreat. If his eyes and voice had not hypnotized him, the golden chain around his neck might have. A sickle-shaped ornament hung from it, upon his chest. His shirt was black, loose-sleeved, with silken cuffs at the wrist. Over it he wore a tight, black breastplate of armor. He was shod in black boots, over fitted black breeches, and on his hands were black gloves, soft well worn leather. His cloak attached to his shoulders and there was a high collar on the black as midnight garment. Accompanying him was a very strong scent, one that lingered like spices and fresh air. Surrounding him was a swirl of some sparkly glittery substance that as soon as it touched the floor or walls vanished. **_

_**"I ...," Toby answered. "I ..." The humming that he had thought he heard in the air was now quite distinct, and musical. The stranger smiled at his hesitancy, Toby had not expected that. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper. "You're ... him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King..." **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2.**_

_** "Uh ...," Toby cleared his throat having for a moment forgotten all about Sarah. "Who are you?" **_

_**"Don't you know?" The man's voice was calm, almost kindly. Lightning traced the veins of the sky and lit up his face. He was not smiling, as one might smile on greeting a stranger, nor was his expression fierce. His eyes were fixed upon Toby's with an intensity he found compelling. When he took a step toward the boy, into the light shining from the doorway, Toby did not retreat. If his eyes and voice had not hypnotized him, the golden chain around his neck might have. A sickle-shaped ornament hung from it, upon his chest. His shirt was cream-colored, open at the front, loose-sleeved, with silken cuffs at the wrist. Over it he wore a tight, black waistcoat. He was shod in black boots, over gray tights, and on his hands were black gloves. Accompanying him was a very strong scent, one that lingered like spices and fresh air.**_

_**"I ...," Toby answered. "I ..." The humming that he had thought he heard in the air was now quite distinct, and musical. The stranger smiled at his hesitancy, Toby had not expected that. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper. "You're ... him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King..." **_

_**The stranger bowed, "King Jareth, at your service," he said in a crisp accented voice.**_

__Toby blinked, "Do I know you," he asked trying to rack his memory.

"In a manner of speaking," Jareth teased. "We met once before, in this very room." He informed the boy, "However you were quite young at the time, I doubt you'd remember."

"We met in Sarah's room," Toby questioned, in a confused manner. "I don't recall ever meeting you… and not here in Sarah's room." Now doubt filled his features, and suspicion.

"Sarah's room," it was Jareth's turn to be surprised. "This is Sarah's room? Since when?"

Toby nodded, "For as long as I can remember," he said shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"Indeed," Jareth looked at the room, noticed the missing things that had been here five years earlier. "Well, imagine that." He chuckled, Toby shrugged lightly. "Well, no matter," Jareth continued. _**"I have saved you," he said. "I have liberated you from those bonds that distressed you and frightened you. You're free now, Toby." **_

__Toby looked at the stranger cautiously, "Free," he questioned, "Free from what?"

The Goblin King cocked his head to one side, raised an elegant brow and urged, "Look about you boy, what's missing…"

Toby gasped as if the air was being sucked from his lungs. "Sarah!" He spun about looking for his sister. "Where is she?"

The handsome features on the face of the Goblin King turned smug, "You know very well where she is," his voice was a bit too pleased and the words sounded much too well praticed. "I really must thank you, young man for delivering to me my foe."

"Hold it, I want my sister back," Toby demanded hotly.

Amused Jareth chuckled. "What's said is said." He crossed his arms and smiled even more smugly.

"But," Toby sputtered, "I didn't mean it."

"Didn't you," Jareth asked the other brow now joining the one that was already raised. "Didn't you just?"

Guilt filled the boy, "Not entirely." He cowered slightly under the gaze of the Goblin King. "Well, maybe just a little, but not really…"

Clicking his tongue, the man in the midnight cape shook his head, "Bad habit you and your sister have, speaking without thinking." He looked at the boy and shrugged. "This time its cost you, perhaps next time you'll think first."

"That's cold," barked the boy, and added. "I want my sister back."

Jareth, amused that the child had no idea of how to ask for the challenge, baited the child. "Why, so she can disappoint you again?" He watched Toby's eyes become large. "I was listening, I heard the whole thing." He took another step toward the child. "Do you really want her back? No one will ever miss her; it will be as if she never existed." Jareth promised hoping it would ease the boy's guilt.

For a moment it appeared Toby was satisfied, but then the shadows crossed his face. "No, I can't do that to her… I don't want to be free," he answered. "I mean, I do, but -- I want my sister back. Please," he gave him a tiny smile; "If it's all the same to you."

Whatever warmth Jareth felt initially for the lad was quickly fading, "Well it's not all the same to me," he growled lightly. "In fact, I mind very much, so forget about your sister!" Jareth frowned, and shook his head. His expression was once more all concern for the boy. "Go back to your room. Read your books. Play your games. That is your real life now. Forget about the girl, she's no longer your concern. You've delivered our foe to us and we are most grateful." He headed toward the window, wanting to make a quick escape before the boy could prevent it.

"No, I can't just forget about her. And I didn't mean to deliver her to you, and I don't care if she's your foe," Toby protested before the man could reach the open windows. "Please bring her back, please;" he heard herself speaking in a small voice. "Please!" Toby hated to sound whiny, but there was no way he could help it now, he was feeling that desperate. He only understood one thing, he'd done something wrong and this stranger was the only one who could fix it.

Jareth paused, turned and looked at the boy for a moment; they regarded each other, adversaries trying to size each other up at the outset of a long contest. Thunder rumbled, distracting the king and breaking his concentration. Jareth raised his left arm, and made a large gesture with his hand, a grand gesture if somewhat reluctantly made. Toby looked around, thinking that he was summoning assistance, and expecting a horde of goblins to appear. When he faced him again, a glowing crystal had appeared in Jareth's hand. "I've brought you a gift, in exchange for Sarah," he said, holding it out to the boy enticingly.

Toby paused, "What is it?"

"A crystal, nothing more," Jareth said in his most enticing tone, moving the delicate orb to and fro, "Except that if you look into it ... it will show you your dreams." He watched as the boy reacted much the way Sarah had five years earlier. His eyes widened while he watched the orb with an expression of awe. Toby's lips parted involuntarily. With a teasing smile, Jareth watched his little face, while the shining crystal spun around in his long elegant fingers. Toby's hand started to reach out for it. He smiled a little more, and withdrew the crystal from him.

"This is not a gift for an ordinary boy," His voice warned, quieter now, and huskier. "Do you want it, Toby?" He held it out toward her again toward the entranced boy. His eyes were fixed on the dancing, flashing glints of the crystal. Jareth smiled, this was nearly too easy. "Forget Sarah," he urged gently. "Forget her."

While Toby hesitated, another bolt of thunder and lightning illuminated the sky behind the Goblin King. He was torn, The gift was not only seductive, it was also the choice of someone who understood , someone who cared about the secret places of his imagination of secret memories that were just beyond his fragile reach. Of how infinitely much more they meant to him than anything else. In return, he would have to trade his irresponsible sister who couldn't keep a simple promise! Who was, after all, only his half sister; the crystal was spinning, glowing filling his head with thoughts he'd never had before. He was angry with Sarah, and the orb's energies were playing on that anger.

Toby willed his eyes to close, and thought again about Sarah, who had spent countless hours talking to him. Taking him to the park, reading to him from her books, books she kept locked in her room. The times she'd taken him to the park with Merlin and let him play her secret games… From behind shut eyelids, he heard a voice answering. It was his voice, but it seemed to be a memory. "I -- I can't. It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me ... but I want my sister back," he opened his eyes again to find the Goblin King staring at him oddly.

Jareth experienced an odd sort of feeling of betrayal by the boy; his mouth had dropped open in surprise at the response made by the lad. "You'd defy me?" he asked incredulously. "Toby, think what I'm offering you. It is more than an fair exchange, that I can promise."

The boy heard the gasps that had to come from goblins gathered in his sister's room, "If I think about it," he murmured, "I won't be strong enough to resist."

Jareth lowered his arm, taken aback by the boy's honest reaction to temptation. He didn't have the heart to change the orb into a snake as he'd done to Sarah years before. Nor to toss the snake at the lad, he lowered his arm and winced. "Toby," his voice was shaking with emotions kept on a tight reign. "Don't defy me," Jareth sounded impatient, pleading but impatient. "Take my gift, forget your sister. I will not offer it to you again." He tried to sound firm, to sound insistant, but was having difficulty he had not expected.

Toby shook his head, backing away before Jareth could produce the crystal, and told him, "No." he paused. "Thank you all the same, but I can't do what you want. Can't you see that? I must have my sister back."

Unexpectedly, Jareth took a seat on the bed, and demanded, "Why?"

Toby reached up and his fingers raked through his hair, "I just do…"

"Not good enough," Jareth snapped.

"It's her wedding day, oaky," the boy raised his voice. "She's got to get married in two hours… She's going to be so mad at me…" he began to pace, and missed the expression of the face of the Goblin King go from confused to angry. "How am I supposed to explain this to my parents, or to Jeff…"

"Jeff," Jareth asked tightly.

"The_** jerk**_ she's marrying," Toby shoved his hands back into his pockets once more. "OH I can't stand him… I don't know why she'd ever want to be married to him… he doesn't really listen to her… he just likes the attention he gets being with her…But he's waiting at the church, and he doesn't like me to begin with… If he learns that I wished her away…" the boy rambled on guiltily.

Holding up one gloved hand Jareth cleared his throat, "Am I to understand that you don't even approve of this match, and yet you're trying to get her back so she can go ahead with it anyway?"

Toby paused, "Sounds crazy to you too, eh?" He stopped pacing, shoving his hands back into his pockets, "It sounds crazy to me."

"Demented," Jareth airily agreed as he stood up. "Request denied," he sighed. "I'm not going to let you run the Labyrinth to bring Sarah back to marry Jeff the Jerk." He crossed his arms adamantly. "You would never find her, not in time."

Toby blinked something Jareth had just said had his attention, "Run the Labyrinth? Why does that sound familiar? I know this…I know this, but where from?" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "There is a place than, a place to look for her? Is this Labyrinth it?"

Jareth heard the wheezes of the goblins and looked about to utter a curse. Just for a moment, Jareth's face flinched. Toby saw it, the merest trace of apprehension and dread fleeting across his eyes. Was it possible? His nostrils tightened, and appeared to hesitate slightly before answering him. He could not quite believe it, but the suspicion that the Goblin King could be troubled, even if only momentarily, was encouraging. Optimistic the boy pressed again, "There's a way? There's a way and a place to find her and get her back?"

Jareth sighed and made a gesture toward the French windows, muttering to himself. "What is with this family," he twirled his hand and pointed through the window. "There!" He announced theatrically. "She's there."

Lightning flashed and thunder roared, as if on cue. Toby moved past the arm and toward the window, leaning out he stared into the dark storm, the sky was dark as night now. On a distant hill, brilliant in the flashes, he saw a castle. Leaning further on the windowsill, trying to see more clearly the boy gasped. There were towers with turrets, massive walls, spires and domes, a portcullis and drawbridge. The whole edifice was built on top of a sharply rising mound. Around it the lightning flickered and forked like snakes' tongues. Beyond was blackness. "Wicked cool," he muttered in awe.

From just behind his shoulder, Jareth murmured tightly. "Do you still want to look for her?" He rolled his eyes upward as the boy answered.

"Yes." He answered quickly, almost excitedly. "Is that ..." he remembered the words, words spoken long ago when Sarah had told him a wonderful tale. " ...the castle beyond the Goblin City?"

Jareth did not answer at once, and the boy turned around. He was still there, watching intensely, but they were no longer in the house. They stood facing each other on a windswept hilltop. Between them and the hill on which the castle stood was a broad valley. In the darkness he could not tell what was down there. The wind blew hair over Jareth's face, a face lost in a melancholy memory.

_**Jareth's voice came from behind her. "Turn back, Sarah. Turn back, before it is too late." **_

_**"I can't. Oh, I can't. Don't you understand that?" She shook her head slowly, gazing at the distant castle, and to herself, quietly, repeated, "I can't." **_

_**"What a pity." Jareth's voice was low, and gentle, as though he meant it.**_

The tightness in his throat made it hard for Jareth to speak, "Toby," he pleaded, "Turn back~ turn back now, before it's too late."

Shaking his head, his mane of hair moved wildly about, "I can't," he turned to look toward the castle in the distance. "Is that where Sarah is? It don't look that far," he muttered trying to sound brave.

"Doesn't," corrected Jareth at his elbow now. "It doesn't look that far," he looked at the boy with a smile that was icy. "It's farther than you think." Pointing at a tree, he added, "And the time in which to find her is short."

Toby saw that an antique wooden clock had appeared in the tree, as though growing from a branch. It looked very much like the one his mother prized so much. On it were marked the hours to thirteen, as on the antique clock in the lightning in Sarah's room.

Jareth looked at the clock as well, remembering another Williams, and the words he'd spoken to her.

_**"You have thirteen hours to unriddle the Labyrinth," Jareth told her, "before your baby brother becomes one of us." **_

_**"Us?" **_

_**Jareth nodded. "Forever." **_

When Jareth spoke again, his voice came out harsh and raspy, "You have thirteen hours to unriddle the Labyrinth," Jareth told the boy harshly, "before your sister becomes one of us."

"Us?" Toby questioned in confusion. "Who's us?"

Jareth added painfully. "Forever."

Magic still hummed in the air, now almost at a painful pitch. Toby was standing still, hair tossing in the wind, looking out across the valley toward the castle. After a while, he said, "Tell me where to start, what do I have to do."

Jareth sighed as he had once before on this very hillside, "Such a pity."

"What?" he turned his head to look up at him, but the Goblin King was not there. Toby spun all around he was alone in the night, on a windswept hilltop. The Goblin King had vanished as had the clock in the dead tree. He looked across again at the castle. The storm was passing away, blades of clouds sliced across the moon. Above he glimpsed the figure of an owl, wings spread wide on the air, as he flew steadily away from the hillside toward the castle. Toby took another step forward, down the hillside. But there was no ground beneath his feet and he began to fall.

The owl paused in mid flight, turned to look back, hesitated a moment then returned to his course. For now the boy would be fine, there were more pressing matters to take care of. There was a bride waiting in the throne room, and Jareth was sure she would be expecting answers. Answers he was not sure he was able to give.

--

From the moment she'd heard her brother utter the words, to the moment the darkness that had surrounded her had passed Sarah was sure of one thing. She was screwed. The fact that she was now standing in the circular throne room of the Goblin King convinced her, she was indeed screwed.

The room had not changed much in five years, with the exception of her recalling it as being much larger. Her appearance had been met with as much enthusiasm from the goblins as it had from her. Six had let out a blood curdling screech, two fainted dead away, four ran for cover behind a leaking ale keg, and one armor clad old fellow set off an alarm crying out, "She's here!"

Sarah calmly walked over, took the mallet he was striking the gong with and threatened to put it where the sun doesn't shine. The elderly goblin guard cowered and covered his head. She looked about, and knew the only safe place to sit was upon the massive throne belonging to the Goblin King. "This is just great," she muttered as she ascended the stairs to the throne. "What else could happen, and what is taking Jareth so long… he should be here by now."

--

Jareth didn't fly all the way to the castle, but took time to stop in his garden. He paced back and forth, mulling over how best to proceed. So lost in thought was he, he missed the entrance of the old wise man, and his bird beaked hat. The elder sage meandered up to his favorite seat in the garden and once he was comfortably seated waited for the Goblin King to notice him.

"He's going to wear a path," muttered the hat. "If he keeps pacing like that."

"He's got a great deal on his mind," cautioned the elderly goblin sage.

"What great deal, there's a wished away, and a runner… it's very simple," the hat glowered. "This is not rocket sicence."

"Not so simple," corrected the sage watching the handsome Goblin King pace. "Not so simple at all."

"Ha," the bird spat. "He had the perfect chance for revenge, and did nothing to bring it on! It has all fallen into his lap, and what's he doing about it… Nothing!"

"There's revenge, and then there's revenge," mused the sage.

Peering over the hat's brim at its owner, the bird beaked being narrowed his eyes, "Oh that's deep."

The sage shrugged, "Deep or not, it's true." He pointed in the direction of the King. "Here is a clear example of the caution one should use when making a wish. Old truths are still truths… one should always exhibit caution when making a wish, for you just might get what you wish for…"

"Ha," the hat exclaimed. "He's looking a gift horse in the mouth, that's what he's doing!"

Jareth stopped pacing, lowering his arms, he turned to face the pair. He had heard every word, even if he'd ignored the speakers up until this moment, "Theo," he addressed the old sage. "How are you?"

"I'm exceedingly well, and you Sire," his merry old eyes danced with mischief.

"Fine," Jareth said guardedly. "Just fine."

"So I would imagine," the old sage pulled lightly on his snowy white beard, "One does wonder though what you are doing here in the garden when there's a lovely young lady awaiting your presence in the throne room."

Eyes narrowing, the Goblin King frowned, "How would you know that," he demanded.

"One hears things," Theo the sage chuckled.

"Such as," Jareth inquired coolly.

The hat snickered; Theo looked up toward the brim, "Such as there's a young boy trying to make his way to the gate, and a familiar young lady in the throne room… I don't think she's going to be happy about being kept waiting, do you?" He looked at the King, "Or is there a reason you don't wish to reacquaint yourself?"

"One or two," Jareth sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. "I confess I'm in no hurry to return to the castle. This is not proceeding as I'd planned… I mean what's wrong with that family... Can't they just wish each other away, except the gift and go on with it like everybody else? No, she wishes the baby away, and then has to get it back… Now the boy wishes her away and instead of just letting it go at that he insists, no, he _**demands**_, the little monster demands her back!" Jareth turned to his old tutor with an expression of utter dismay. "What is wrong with that family?"

"A word of caution," Theo said rising to place a hand on the shoulder of the being who'd once been his student. "If I've heard of the girls return, it's only a matter of time before others know…" Jareth looked blankly at the elder for a moment. "Or do you want the boy to meet up with the gardener at the gate?"

"Hogsteeth!" cursed the King. "Blast, I forgot all about him…He'll go on some stupid quest to save Sarah," he changed to an owl and was gone, headed back in the way of the entrance of the Labyrinth.

--

Sarah listened to the murmurs and whispered voices. She could not blame them; her return was nothing short of serendipity. She looked about the throne room, wondering how anyone could live like this. Even as a teen she'd kept her room better than this!

"What's she doing here," a goblin asked watching her with big eyes.

"I don't know, ask her," was the reply.

"I'm not asking her, you ask her!"

"Not me, I want to live to see tomorrow!"

"Well I'm not gonna," the first one snapped.

Sarah was beginning to worry, what could be keeping the Goblin King, why wasn't he here to gloat about her being the victim of being wished away by the very child she'd risked life and limb to retrieve? By her recollection it had not taken this long for her to get stated… but then she was never sure about the differences in telling time here… Was it moments or hours that had past? And if it had been hours here, was it hours back home… If it was hours, could it be perceived that she'd left Jeff standing at the altar?

--

Toby felt himself toppling forward into the vast darkness. Only by swinging his arms wildly did he manage to keep balance. The hillside was very steep, slippery and the wind blowing was like a hand shoving him forward. His mouth had gone dry with fright, and his heart was now pounding in his chest. Carefully, he sat down feeling safer, but could not afford to sit there long, with only thirteen hours to get through the Labyrinth and find Sarah in the castle.

Toby tried slithering down the hillside on his bottom, but that was no good either. Rocks and little shrubs impeded his path and began to tear at the fabric of the rented tux pants and he dared not stand up to get past them. He felt tears rising, but blinked them away; no one was going to make him cry. Not Sarah, not Jeff and most certainly not this Goblin King.

He could do this, he told himself; he would do it. There were no limits to what he could do, given the determination, the ingenuity, and maybe a little luck. He would do it, he vowed as he sat on the black hillside with no idea how to move another foot. If he could get though the Cub Scout initiation he could get through this! This was a piece of cake….

High above, where the owl had flown, he heard a lark sing. He peered up at it, and by taking his eyes off the blackness below became aware that a hint of light was staining the rim of the dark sky. In awe he watched the light grow brighter, changing from red to pink, and then pale blue, and saw the edge of the sun inch up over the horizon. It was the most beautiful thing he could ever remember seeing. Nearly painfully so, Toby shut his eyes and took a deep breath, felt the sun warming his skin. With the warmth of the sunlight came confidence, it was then he knew; he would do it.

When he opened his eyes again, Jareth's castle was shining before him, its spires and turrets rimmed with the reflected sunlight. It was glorious, the most wonderful structure he'd seen in his young life. Wonderful, strange and yet oddly familiar, and calling to him like an old memory. He looked at it, watching the sunrise bath the Goblin castle in a wash of pink light. It didn't seem nearly as frightening as it had with flashes of lightening. Not at all, in fact, it looked~ familiar, it looked like _**home**_. He felt a strange pull in his soul and wanted to reach that wonderful castle, quickly. Anxiously he scrutinized the valley, which, like a developing photograph, took longer to reveal itself.

Everything about the hillside and the valley that lay between him and the castle seemed more than oddly familiar. Toby couldn't place where he'd remembered this from, but hoped it would all come back to him. He stood up, dusted off his frayed pants, and took a careful step and headed toward the all-encompassing wall that stood between him and the entrance of the Labyrinth.

--

In the dawning light Toby could see below a path that zigzagged down the hillside, he picked his way to it through the rocks and shrubs. At the foot of the path, he came to a great wall, strengthened with buttresses. It stretched as far as he could see to the left and right. Uncertainly, he approached the wall, with no idea what he might do when he reached it. As he got closer, a movement just at the base of it caught his eye. There was a little man was humming absentmindedly as he relieved himself into the murky and smelly green waters of the pond that had long ago gone stagnate. "Excuse me," Toby said slightly embarrassed at having witnessed the man's moment of privacy.

The little man nearly jumped out of his skin, covering himself quickly. "Just going," he said, before he had even looked around to see who it was. When he did turn, he had his face down so that he regarded him from under thick, bushy eyebrows. "Well!" he exclaimed, looking cross and astonished at the same time. "Well!" he said again.

Toby looked about himself, wondering who it was the little man was addressing in such a huff. The man was an odd little person, a dwarf but the strangest misshapen dwarf Toby had ever seen. He was not particularly friendly, but not hostile either. He seemed to be avoiding the boy's eyes, and Toby noticed that whenever he moved his hands the man's gaze would follow them. On top of his head he wore a worn red leather skullcap. From the belt that held his breeches up, he had a chain on which was a purse of ornaments dangling, costume jewelry as far as the boy could tell, not good stuff like his mother or Linda wore. On one wrist he wore a odd plastic bracelet. Toby saw the man's mouth moving to say "Well!" again and interrupted quickly. "Excuse me, sir, but I have to go through this Labyrinth. Can you show me the way in?" He tired to be polite.

Mouth frozen in the formation of a W, the dwarf blinked once or twice. Then his eyes darted to one side, and a faint buzzing noise could be heard. He rushed a few steps toward a bluebell; at the same time pulling a spray can from under his jacket, now forgetting and ignoring the boy. As he aimed the spray, Toby saw that a diaphanous little fairy was emerging from the bluebell. The dwarf sprayed it, with a couple of quick bursts. The fairy at once wilted, like a shriveling petal. Let out a faint cry and collapsed to the dusty ground. "Fifty-seven," the wee man said with some satisfaction, kickin' soil over the fallen form. "That'll teach ya!"

Toby blinked in surprise and gasped loudly. The dwarf answered with a grunt as he hunted down his next victim. Toby looked to where the fairy was lying on the ground, wings quivering and shriveling. He knew Sarah's instinct would have been to exclaim, "Poor thing!" and to pick it up gently in her fingertips and turned accusingly to the fairy-slayer of being a monster. He was also sure that if she had, she would have felt a sharp pain, as from broken glass as the fairy had bit her finger. This was all too familiar. "I know this," he said aloud wagging a finger in the air as if it would aid him in finding the memory… "I know this, but what is it?" He pointed to the fairy quivering in the dust, "They bite, they bite don't they?"

"'Course she does, they all do," the little man chuckled. "What do you expect fairies to do?"

Toby stammered, "Sarah thought they did -- nice things like granting wishes." Even as he repeated the words he'd heard time and again from Sarah he felt uncomfortable. This was from one of Sarah's stories, but he couldn't place which one.

"Ha!" the dwarf's eyebrows went up, and he chortled. "Shows what she knows then, don't it?" He raised his spray can and casually hit another bluebell with it. "Fairies doin' nice things, ha!" A second shimmering fairy fell down, turning brown like a leaf in autumn. "Fifty-eight," he said, and shook his head and complained. "They breed as fast as you can spray." He stopped, "What did you say just now? Who thought they did nice things?"

"Sarah," Toby said quietly, distractedly looking at the writhing fairy and then at the little man. "She called you a monster…" he whispered to himself, "Then… said you're horrible…" the boys voice was a whisper, as his eyes opened wide… "You…your Hoggle!"

The dwarf opened his mouth and no sound issued.

From somewhere hidden blue stormy eyes watched, and a voice full of hopelessness moaned softly, "Just great," the Goblin King sat down to brood, "Just what I needed."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3.**_

Knowing all hell was about to break lose, Jareth transformed himself once again to an owl and headed for the castle to salvage what he could of the day.

Toby stared wide eyed at the equally wide eyed dwarf, "You're Hoggle," he said laughing. "God you're short!"

"See here you rude little…" the little man snapped at the impish child.

"Don't you know who I am? I'm Toby," he shoved his hand out in greeting, only to have the man stare at him. "You know, Sarah's Toby." He insisted with a wink.

The dwarf's face shifted, first pained and then shocked, and then worried and lastly fearful. "Sarah's Toby… what are you doing here?" He was feeling panic and it was showing. "She didn't wish you away again, did she? No…no she'd never do that again…" he muttered to himself. "No she learned her lesson, she'd never do that again!"

"Wish me away," the boy blinked, "When did Sarah wish me away?"

Wanting to bite his tongue and crawl into the smallest hole he could find, Hoggle hemmed and hawed. "Did I say wished away, my bad…." He edged his way away from the boy. He was looking for escape, and not finding it.

"Yes, you did," insisted the observant boy, "So talk." He crossed his arms and took a wide legged stance, his stormy blue eyes flashed with fire.

"Damn," Hoggle leaned closer to observer the boy's face, "You look just like him! You even sound just like him!"

"Just like whom," Toby growled.

"Just like Jareth, the Goblin King." Hoggle gasped. "Your eyes, your hair, your manners and demands… everything about you…" The dwarf shook his head in dismay, "No wonder he wanted you…You're the spittin' image of him~"

The crossed arms of the incensed lad fell open and to his sides, "The Goblin King wanted me," he questioned disbelievingly. "Says who?"

"Says him," Hoggle answered, "I thought at first it was because he wanted an excuse to make Sarah run the labyrinth. It was only after you and she left that we learned how much he enjoyed keeping you… now I know why… He saw himself in you."

"Saw himself," repeated the boy, "In me?" He shook his head, knowing he'd heard this before. "No, that was only in that silly story… the book that Sarah read to me… that can't be real."

"One of the guards in the throne room told me," Hoggle leaned toward the boy, as if telling him a deep dark secret, "That the King was going to rename you after himself."

Toby was unsure of what he was supposed to feel, anger at having been wished away, honored at being desired as a adoptee of the Goblin King, or grateful to his sister for having run the Labyrinth to find him. "The Labyrinth," Toby focused, he could worry about the rest later. "How do I get into the Labyrinth?" He looked at the span of wall before him. "How do I get in?"

"I'll show you," Hoggle said proudly, "Just like I did your big sister…." 'Only this time, I'm not spy for the King,' Hoggle thought to himself.

--

Jareth flew into the tower window, observed the young woman on his throne, almost as if she belonged there. He glided gracefully about the circular room before landing transforming as he did so. He was well aware of the goblins in hiding, but chose to not pay them any attention. He stood regally, just as he had that night five years ago in the nursery bedroom. He would have preferred a more dramatic entrance, something with more flare, something with thunder and lightning. He would have liked trumpets or armed guards; instead he stood in the dingy, cluttered throne room and peered at the young woman dressed in wedding finery sitting quietly on the throne.

Sarah had been sitting, her elbows on her knees, and her chin propped in her hands. When the owl entered through the window she looked up and sighed. "Bout time," she muttered as he transformed to the handsome figure that was the Goblin King. For a moment she forgot that she'd been wished away, forgot that this man had been her foe, her antagonist and troublesome opponent. She looked up and remembered a moment that she'd thought him the most handsome creature that ever lived. "Hello Jareth," she greeted him quietly, a bittersweet smile forming on her lips.

Taken aback by the gentle greeting, his mood softened, and he greeted her just as quietly and cordially. "Hello Sarah." Placing his hands to his hip, he moved forward majesticly, "Have you been waiting long?"

"Long enough," she mused, waving about the empty room, "I seem to have scared off your minions."

"Do you blame them," he teased softly with twinkling eyes. "The last time they saw you, you and your friends damn near destroyed the town." He moved closer until he was standing directly before her. "I believe you have my seat," he teased.

"So I do," she agreed making no effort to vacate the throne. "However it was the only place to sit that would not ruin the stupid dress." A hand motion toward her gown indicated that the white gown wouldn't have stayed white anywhere else in the room.

Jareth tried not to smirk, not to laugh, but the girl's words amused him. "I suppose the place could use an occasional cleaning," he agreed.

"Occasional," she asked incredulously with more than a hint of sarcasim, "When was the last occasion?"

"Oh," shrugged, pretending to remember, "A century or so ago," Leaning on and resting upon the side rail of the throne, Jareth let his eyes feast on the green eyes that haunted his dreams when he allowed himself to dream. "You've changed," he observed.

"So have you," Sarah's voice was pleasant, calm and tranquil.

"Have I," he asked feeling suddenly like a drunken man, basking in the presence of his long absent lady; "How?"

Sarah smiled softly and blushed, "You're still handsome, if that's what you're worried about."

"Still," Jareth asked pleased that she had found him handsome. "Funny I wasn't aware you'd noticed… your last visit was so… hurried."

"I noticed," Sarah assured him softly, "So much so that I nearly lost... so much so that I forgot Toby for a few brief moments… So much so that I've never been quite able to enjoy any other man's company…"

The smile faded and the stormy eyes of the Goblin King darkened. "And yet you were about to marry…"

"Yes," Sarah sighed, "I was." The fires that had once been so evident in her lovely green eyes seemed diminished.

Her sad eyes disturbed Jareth, and he suddenly found himself wanting to comfort the girl. "Why Sarah, do you love this man?"

Ashamed, Sarah lowered her eyes, and shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Then why marry him," Jareth asked softly, trying to understand her sadness, and his own feelings of needing to protect the very person he had sworn vengeance upon.

"He asked," Sarah sighed, "And _**my father**_ thought it would be a good match…"

"But you don't love him," protested the Goblin King. He was not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself of that truth.

"No, I don't..." Sarah agreed again sadly, and refusing to look at him.

Releasing his breath in a long slow exhale, Jareth stepped closer and inched his way into the wide seat of the throne beside her. He looked at her, dressed in a wedding gown that didn't really complement her. "That's an interesting dress," he commented unable to keep the hint of mockery and cynicism out of his tone.

"Do _**you**_ like it," she asked turning her head to look at him sideways. Her eyes showed surprise at his comment.

"No," he answered honestly, "Do you?"

"No," she said feeling awkward and embarrassed about the dress. She tried to cover herself with her arms. "Actually I don't."

"It's not you," Jareth said soundly. "Did you pick this dress out?"

"No," Sarah cleared her throat, "_**My mother**_ picked the dress… and paid for it…the veil too…"

Jareth snickered, and then chuckled. "So your father picked the groom, and your mother picked the dress… did you pick the honeymoon?"

Sarah's chuckle sounded much like Jareth's, "No that would be Jefferson's area of expertise."

All the anger and turmoil he'd felt vanished as Jareth placed a comforting arm over the shoulder of the young woman seated beside him, "Would you like me to exchange that," he pointed to the dress, "For something a bit more you?"

"No tricks," she questioned, "No removing the dress and leaving me naked?" He crossed his heart with his gloved hand, Sarah thought about it, her lip between her teeth, and then slowly nodded her head in agreement and acceptance of the King's offer. A moment later Sarah was dressed in a long green jersey gown that was cut to flatter her figure but not give it away, "Thank you," she whispered feeling a little shy. "This is much better…"

"You're welcome, Sarah." Jareth kept his harm over her shoulder. His leather clad fingers were firmly placed on her arm, and going nowhere.

Sarah looked about the throne room, the goblins were still in hiding, and it was as if they were alone in the world. Sighing deeply, she let herself relax, her head moved to his shoulder as she leaned back. "I'm so tired," she admitted sadly.

"Are you, precious," Jareth asked, his lips touching her forehead.

She nodded again, and looked up at him with sad eyes, "He didn't mean to you know…" she knew Jareth would understand instantly whom she was referring to.

"I know," Jareth assured her.

"Don't be angry with him," she pleaded softly. "It's not really his fault…"

"I'm not angry, my dear," Jareth stated firmly, firming up his grip of her shoulder, "At least not with him."

Sarah looked at his firm jaw, "He didn't know that it was going to really happen… just as I didn't… that other time."

"I know," Jareth sighed, "I know."

"Don't make him run the Labyrinth," she pleaded softly. "He'll never make it," she fretted. "He's not as strong as I was, he's not old enough to understand all the ins and outs…Please Jareth… I'll stay, it would be better for me to stay… just don't…" long lean gloved fingers silenced her request.

"Sarah, my dear precious Sarah," his voice wavered. "Were it within my power to send him home… I would…"

"He's in the Labyrinth?" Sarah stood up, moving quickly toward the window. "OH Jareth no! He's just a little kid… can't you re order time, put him back~ put him back in my bedroom…"

"Unfortunately, not…" Jareth stood with his hands resting on her shoulders. "Sarah," his voice was grave and somber. "Listen to what I'm about to say, and try not to be too angry…" He felt her stiffen, and didn't blame her. "Even if Toby makes it to the center of the Labyrinth, even if he makes it to the castle… I cannot send either of you home… ever again."

Her hands gripped the sill of the window, "Why," she gasped.

"There's a little matter of you and Toby both having eaten Fae food…" Jareth explained softly, trying to soften the blow, "That and the fact that you've both been Fae Touched." Resting his head against hers he whispered. "It's why you've never found love with a mortal…" The young woman turned, her eyes filled with worry and hurt. "I'm sorry… as generous as your offer to stay is, as unselfish an act…"

"Fae touched," she questioned. "What does that mean?"

"It's a very old canon, a rule that was made long before I was even born." Jareth explained softly. "You do understand that there are rules that govern and laws of convention that are in place between your world… and mine," he waited for her nod, once he received it he spoke again. "It comes from old traditions, it was written down long ago, and is still enforced."

"Written down by whom?" Sarah questioned, looking for a loophole.

"By a scribe," Jareth said gently. "I can show it to you; if you like… every Fae King has a copy in his archives."

"Yes," she stated firmly, head held high. "I should very much like to see this for myself."

Extending his arm to her as if they had been companions for eons, he watched as she placed her hand upon his offered arm with graciousness he'd seen lacking in most modern mortals. But then, Sarah Williams was not more modern mortals, she had never been ordinary. "The archives are just down this corridor," he said as he led her out of the throne room down a long hall of what looked like endless doors and pathways.

"How do you remember all the paths, and not get lost," she asked marveling as they strolled down the hallway.

"Practice," he teased gently, enjoying this reprieve from animosity betwixt them. "Once you settle in you'll get the hang of it."

"Do you really see me 'settling in'," she questioned.

"I hope," he admitted quietly as they entered a passage that seemed as long and straight as the one they'd just left. "Just through here," he waved toward an archway. "This is the archives."

The room was filled, top to bottom, bottom to top with literally thousands of wooden bookshelves covered in scrolls and leather bound books. It held the fragrance of velum and leather and rare inks. Sarah was sure one could easily get lost in this treasure of literature and history. "This is amazing," she commented as her hand left the arm of the King. She took a step toward one of the shelves and noted the strange lettering. "Is this in Aramaic?"

Jareth stepped behind her and looked down his elegant nose at the lettering, "Yes, I do believe that one is…" he shrugged, "You'll find every known and some unknown language written in this archive." He advised. "I doubt anyone in your world even remembers the elven scripts."

"Tolkien," Sarah argued, "He seemed aware of it."

"I stand corrected," Jareth mused.

Sarah looked and gently fingered the lettering of one bound volume, "I envy you, Jareth." Her voice trembled.

"Do you," he mused. "For what reason could you envy me?"

"To be able to read all the languages of the world," Sarah replied with a softness, "That's a rare and immeasurable treasure. It's beyond my dreams," she whispered.

"I once offered you your dreams," he reminded her with ice creeping into his tone.

"It cost too much," she removed her hand from the rack of scrolls. "Where is this canon you spoke of?" She had turned formal, business like and cold.

Jareth mirrored her iciness, "There, on that wooden stand," he pointed to the raised almost podium looking item along a wall that had a table covered in more scrolls.

Sarah waltzed past him, maneuvering in the dress as if she'd been wearing that style of garment all her life. Looking down at the open scroll, she frowned, "I can't read this," she complained.

"Of course you can't," Jareth had not followed her, but rather stood aloofly, watching her having crossed his arms. "It's written in Celtic Gaelic, and in a dialect that is no longer even in existence. "I could translate it for you," he said coldly.

"You expect me to take your word on it," she asked just as icily.

A smile crossed the grim features for an instant. "No, I don't." He moved forward, "However," he reached out a hand, gently pressed his fingers to her forehead and sighed. "I think you can trust your own eyes."

Sarah looked down, what had moments ago seemed like gibberish were now words that looked recognizable, "This is in English," she marveled.

"No," Jareth sighed, "You're just seeing it in English, it's still in Gaelic."

"Whatever," Sarah sighed, leaning over the document. "_**There are certain rules and regulations that must be observed when one is dealing with the community of beings known as the Fae. **_

_**Don't ever ask a nature spirit's name. This is bad manners and, besides, they won't tell you. It is said that knowledge of a faery name by another confers power over the faery on that person.**_

Never eat their food, even when offered, because something may be asked for in return. Accepting the faery cake may put you under an obligation to them.

Some nature spirits dislike being disturbed by humans or even being seen by them. Never intrude. If they run from you, don't give chase and if they ask you to leave, go.

Never put a faery down or make comparisons that put them in a bad light. Claiming, for instance, that a child is fairer than a faery is certain to provoke their anger.

Some traditions warn of even speaking of the faeries.

Above all, tread lightly.

Or stay away. An Irish lady was asked if she believed in the little people. Her reply was that she didn't believe in them but that she knew they were there. Maybe she had the best idea.

_**People carried off to fairyland cannot return if they eat or drink there. Fairy and human lovers can marry, though only with restrictions whose violation ends the marriage, and often, the life of the human. Some female fairies are deadly to human lovers. Fairies may resemble humans in size. Female fairies may be fortune tellers, particularly prophesying at births and foretelling deaths. Celtic folk beliefs generally paint fairy rings as dangerous places, best avoided. Mortals who have danced with the fairies are rarely safe after being saved from their enthrallment. Often, they find that what seemed to be but a brief foray into fairyland was indeed much longer in the mortal realm, possibly weeks or years. The person rescued from the fairy ring may have no memory of their encounter with the sprites. In most tales, the saved interlopers face a grim fate."**_ Sarah read aloud. Jareth had taken a seat on the only chair present. Her face became rigid as she read, and her voice edgy. "Is this for real?"

Jareth nodded, not bothering to look at her, "Of course."

"So all you had to do was wait for me to somehow end up here again… if I had ever ventured here, and visited Hoggle or Didymus… I would have fallen prey to the clauses of this… document?"

Jareth sniffed, crossed his arms and said, "Yes."

"Wait," she shook her head violently and in a manner of refusal. "Toby, he… you never sang to him did you?"

"No,"

Thinking she had him she crowed, "Then he's not subject to this!"

"Wrong," Jareth closed his eyes, he should be enjoying this… he should be the one crowing but instead he felt tired. "Toby is subject to the having eaten Fae food clause."

"You fed him," she asked in an accusatory tone.

Calm and frosty, with a measure of hostility, Jareth looked over at her, "I'm not a monster, I don't starve children." He claimed resolutely.

Before she could respond something irksome picked at her memories of her last visit, "You didn't just feed Toby; you tricked me into eating a peach as well."

"Yes," he sat smugly smiling at her. "I did."

"You… bastard." she accused.

"Sometimes," he agreed with a wicked wink.

"You knew all this, even before you set foot in that bedroom… before you offered me that orb... before…" She railed.

"Yes, yes," his voice sounded bored waving a gloved hand at her in the air to finish. "I was well aware of the sensitive material contained in that scroll."

"You never told me any of this, no warning…" she slammed her hand down on the wooden stand.

Jareth smiled, "Now Sarah, you had a good deal of the information already." He chuckled, "I am familiar with your reading material." He leaned back and observed her, "_**I **_was very well aware of _**you**_; otherwise _**I'd**_ never have allowed that little red book to fall into _**your**_ hands."

Sarah's mouth dropped open, "You sent that book, no," she shook her head, falling back on denial. "My mother sent me that book… from a play she was doing…"

"Whom do you think directed her to _**that very play**_," he asked smugly.

Knees shaking, Sarah stared at him, her lips moved and the word, "Stalker," erupted.

"Thank you," he crooned back totally devoid of shame or remorse.

"How could you… I was a child!" she bellowed.

"Not in all respects," he reminded her with a smarmy leer.

"You're perverse beyond imagination," she crossed her arms and turned her back on him.

"You've no idea of how vast the imagination can be," he teased. "But I will take great pleasure in awaking you to such vastness." He noticed the shiver that traveled though her at his suggestion. "Sarah, we can make the best of this…" he purred. "You know that don't you?" Pivoting slightly, looking at him over her shoulder, her lips pressed together and her brow raised she made a formable figure. Observing her, he felt his pulse quicken, and his chest tighten. In her eyes he saw the flames that had been so evident reignited, and defiance and determination reawakened in her. "There's so much I can~ teach you." He suggested in the next purr.

"And I'm supposed to what," she let her lashes flutter slightly. "Fall into your waiting arms and bid you do with me what you wilt?"

"Something like that," he growled in the back of his throat.

"Ha!" she pivoted the other direction and began to head for the door, "Cold day in hell…"

Chuckling, Jareth watched her storm out of the room, "Sarah," he called after her. "Where are you going?" She didn't answer, and he could hear the sounds of her footfalls moving away, "Blast it all woman, just give in…" He muttered rising from the chair to follow her into the corridor. "Sarah, just where do you think you're going?"

She had taken a turn, she had thought it was the right one but it had only lead her to another set of paths. "I'm going to go back to the throne room, I know the way out of here from there."

"You can't just leave," Jareth reasoned with her gently.

"Watch me, pal!" she huffed moving down another hallway. "Blast it all, this is not right."

"And once you're out of here, then where," he asked with amusement.

"Into the Labyrinth," she snapped.

"Now why would you want to do that," he chuckled.

"To find my brother," she paused and looked and then turned only to find her pathway blocked by the King. "Get out of my way!"

Refusing to move, he asked again, "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because he's just a little kid," she fretted, "He has no idea of what he's doing… he doesn't understand any of this… an it's all my fault. I should never have read that stupid story to him, not after my being here…"

Jareth snorted, "You won't find him grateful if you do," he warned. "Right now he's on a guilt trip a mile wide, and being 'rescued' by the very person he's trying to rescue will infuriate him, trust me on this one."

"Toby thinks he can save me," Sarah reasoned. "Jareth, you have to bring him in… get him out of the Labyrinth before he gets hurt."

"He won't get hurt," Jareth promised. "He's not alone." The hint of sarcasm became more like a boast.

Sarah stopped trying to push past the King, her hands were on his sleeves and she stared at him, "What do you mean he's not alone? Who's with him?"

Looking down at the hands gripping his arms, he smiled, "Hoggle."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4.**_

__Sarah's mouth dropped, "Hoggle," she strangled on the word. "You're telling me he's in the Labyrinth with Hoggle?" her voice climbed an octave.

Jareth winced, "Well, they were just preparing to enter," he found the pitch of her voice a bit more grating than he'd expected. "They should be arriving at the worm by now."

The hands gripping the royal sleeve tightened like vices, "_**Are you crazy**_? Letting Toby go into the Labyrinth with _**Hoggle**_?"

For a moment, a brief moment Jareth himself questioned his option to allow the two to enter the Labyrinth in each other's company. "Sarah calm down," his voice wavered, just a little. "Hoggle is the last person who would allow harm to befall your brother." He had said it, but was not sure he believed it.

Releasing the grip she'd had on the King's arms, her green eyes glared at him, the long absent fires were now back, and then some. "Are you kiddin?" her hands went to her hipline, paralleling the King's usual stance, "Have you forgotten I was accompanied by Hoggle? You really expect me to just think he's going to guide Toby here to the castle?"

"He has no reason not to," Jareth's voice went to cold.

Soberly Sarah brought up her hand, her index finger extended, "First off, Hoggle hates you and knows you've always had a thing about keeping Toby!" the next finger went up, "Secondly Toby is too young to know when not to trust!" another finger went up, "Thirdly, even Hoggle is no match for the Labyrinth! I've seen that personally."

Amused, Jareth watched and listened as she went through the litany of reasons given as to why he should not entrust Toby's safety to Hoggle. He watched the fires in the eyes of the woman, ignoring the dramatics with her hand. "Why Sarah, one would think you don't have much faith in your old…friend," his voice dropped several octaves, and took on an ominous almost threatening resonance.

Angrily she turned away and headed down another corridor, "Blast it you're not listening, as usual!" she railed as she stomped away from him. "Still being a ass… still being the same old ass… I don't know why I thought you'd change…."

He stepped around a corner and in her way, "Why should I have to?" He demanded frostily, "I'm the King here, remember?"

Turning, heading down another pathway she glowered and bristled each time he'd pop up. Finally she stopped and glared at him, "Does being King give you the right to just arbitrarily screw with people's lives?"

"Yes," he said with mild astonishment, "That's part of being the King here…"

"Well I don't like it!" She bristled harshly, "You allowed my brother to enter the Labyrinth knowing he was already unable to win! That's worse than cheating, that's despicable…. It's unethical and dishonorable,"

"I beg to differ," Jareth calmly rationalized with the young woman, "I am under no obligation to inform a wish maker all of the fine print." He noticed that this only seemed to agitate her all the more.

"Oh really?" she barked at him placing her hands firmly to her hip line, "IS that so?" Instead of being intimidated by his calm cool demeanor, she was infuriated and turned antagonistic. "So you're under no~ what was that term you just used… no _**oblingation**_ to inform a wish maker of the fine print? Well, then you high and mighty prat, just what are your obligations?"

"To win," he said with incredulous sarcasm.

"At any cost?"

Jareth ceased to be amused, "Are you judging me on mortal requisites and standards?"

"What else have I got," she glowered before sharply turning on heel and taking yet another stab at finding her way out.

"You snob!" he accused as he stood rooted to the spot, "I should just leave and allow you to get yourself good and lost in here.."

"Yeah," she called back over her shoulder, "Why don't you just do that…" When she turned he was standing in front of her, arms crossed akimbo over his chest, legs in a determined stance and a glower of his own painted where the smirk had been.

"Because, contrary to your thoughts of me, I do have some manners," he extended his hand to her, "You're so turned around in here now it would take weeks for you to find your way out and we don't have that kind of time." He saw her reluctance to trust him, "Sarah, I don't have time to argue with you, I've a runner in the Labyrinth…"

"You have Toby in the Labyrinth~ not just any runner," she corrected.

Taking a deep sigh he began again, "I have Toby in the Labyrinth and I don't have time to play hide and go seek with you." He insistently pushed his arm her direction, "If you please."

Her hand moved slowly upward, "I don't please," and slide over his gloves cuff. "But to bring about a prompt solution, I'm willing to allow you to transport us."

"Thank you, Miss Williams," he addressed her very formally as they began to vanish from the corridor of bookshelves. Once again appearing in the throne room, He moved away from her swiftly and called out to the still cowering figures in the room. "Has anyone checked on our runner?"

A goblin face peeked out from the ale keg, "Murphy is checking on them now, boss." After delivering the statement the misshapen face once more disappeared.

Sarah, tapping one foot impatiently looked at the king, she was not impressed. "So how soon will this Murphy report into you?"

Jareth shrugged, "Depends on how far the pair have gotten." Walking to his throne he continued to converse with the woman, "WE may as well make ourselves comfortable…"

"Here," she waved a hand at the piles of rotting food and debris that had accumulated in the once stately room. "And just how do you suggest we do that? I see only one chair… and I sincerely doubt you plan on vacating it to me." Before he could respond she went on; "This place is a pigsty! In fact, I don't think even a pig would like this…" she paused as a black pig wearing a horned helmet wandered past her, "I stand corrected."

"What's wrong with this place?" Jareth demanded, not having reached the throne. From his point of view the room was fine, "I don't see anything wrong."

He sounded defensive, and to Sarah's ears not unlike her stance on why Karen should never come in her room back when she was fifteen. "I see, you don't mind these goblin subjects of yours coming in here and defacing and vandalizing your throne room." Even as the words left her mouth she could hear Karen's voice saying pretty much the same thing ringing in her ears. "Blast it, I've become my parents…." She muttered. Having gone this far she shouldered the weight now on her shoulders and turned to Jareth with contempt. "I'll bet none of the other Underground Kings have any respect for you!"

The façade of control dropped from Jareth's face, his hands fell to his sides, and for once he looked truly hurt. "How would you know," he snapped.

Turning from the face with its hurt, she pointed to the dripping keg, "Why should they take you seriously? Look at the mess you've allowed to accumulate!"

"It's not that bad," he hedged, "I mean I suppose it looks a bit… disorganized~"

"That's putting it mildly," she interrupted. "When was the last time you had this floor washed?" She walked over to the wall, "And what color is under all this grime, do you even know?" She heard the gasps coming from the goblins hiding where ever they had found a crack or a crevice. Ignoring them she pressed onward, "Can you even read the runes?"

"What runes," he moved toward her, looking at where she pointed. Shock registering as he found she was right, there were runes to be had on the wall.

"I suggest you put these lazy good for nothings that have been partying here and devouring food and drink to work!" She snarled at him, completely forgetting her place and his station. "That is unless you like being a laughing stock!

The insult hit home, "No one laughs at me!"

"Not to your face," she suggested nastily, almost immediately regretting it, "But honestly," she changed her tone, "Look at this place, would you want to invite someone here?"

Not having taken into consideration the appearance of his throne room or the slovenly habits of the goblins that had become somewhat his own, Jareth reluctantly had to admit the woman had a point. Aggravating as she was, she had a point. "No, I wouldn't." one hand rose in the air to magically correct things, but was instantly halted by a softer ungloved one. He looked at her with more shock.

"No," she insisted still in the quiet more respective tone; "Not that way, if you use magic to correct it, they won't learn…." She saw little heads popping out, and eyes peering at them, "You have to have them clean the mess… after all, they made it," she reasoned.

"How do you know I had no hand in this," he asked just as quietly.

"You may be guilty of complacency, but look at yourself, your clothes are immaculate, and you bathe…" She whispered.

"Point taken," he cleared his throat and addressed the hiding goblins. "Every goblin within hearing of my voice," he stated clearly, "It's time to clean up our act!" He watched as some crawled out of hiding, "I need volunteers to clean up this mess." He turned to Sarah, "Where do you suggest we start?"

"Get the livestock out of the throne room," she whispered, but it was still overheard and met with stunned gasps.

"You heard the lady," Jareth called out. "Get the livestock out!" When no one moved he bellowed, "I said get the livestock out of here!"

Little bodies scurried to and fro; some passing Sarah muttered things best left unheard under their breath. Others cried out and pitched fits, while some just began to pick things up as it they always meant to anyway. Sarah looked the king with more compassion, "That wasn't so bad was it?"

However the King was not so sure, for some of the goblins who usually sang his praise were glaring at him, "I'm reserving judgment," he grumbled taking his place on the throne. He waved his wrist and a small gilded chair appeared, "You may be seated, Miss Williams."

Sarah recognized the chair at once, "You're kidding," she murmured. The expression on the king's face told her wasn't nor was he remotely amused. Sarah approached the chair timidly; the one thing she was certain of was she wanted nothing to do with it. She tried to find a way to gracefully beg off, and found it. "This chair is covered in glass, your Majesty."

Jareth peered down at it from his throne, "So it is," he mused.

Standing still, she waited for him to do something to clear the glass away. He looked away, no longer interested. "I cannot and will not sit in glass, not for you or any one else."

"Then you can stand," he said in a gruff tone.

Sarah turned her back on him, if he was going to make the chair vanish as swiftly as he'd made it appear he was going to do so without her watching. "Your mother must be so proud of how you turned out," she grumbled insultingly. Sarah heard the gasps of the shocked and frightened goblins, bit down on her lower lip, and braced for the King's rage to hit her.

"You know nothing of my mother," rasped the man who even then was rising from the seat he occupied. "You know even less about me."

Sarah knew without looking that he had vanished in a swirl of glitter and anger. She also knew he'd left her in the middle of the resentful goblins who instantly halted their clean up to glare at her. Knowing that she had a choice, cower or take over, she spun on her heels and glared right back. "Back to work!" she barked. Goblins muttering went back to the job of cleaning up eons of debris. Wordlessly she moved to the vacated throne, she sat down and watched and directed the movements of the creatures who lived here.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter5.**_

Toby watched the gnomish little man hobbling in front of him, leading the way down the long passageway. "There are not turns, no entrances," he commented darkly. "I thought a Labyrinth was filled with turns and entrances."

"It is," a small voice chuckled.

Toby looked about; trying to see who it was that had spoken. "Who said that?"

"'Allo," a tiny wormlike creature with large eyes popped its head out from between the bricks closest to where Toby was now standing. "'Allo," it repeated in a cheery voice, its large eyes looked at the boy with interest. "What 'ave we here?" He looked over at Hoggle and frowned, "Hoggle," he gnashed his teeth. "What are you up to?"

Hoggle waved a warning hand at the smaller goblin creature, "Not a word Alfie or I'll be tellin' your missus what you been up to…"

The worm's mouth dropped in astonishment at the unveiled threat. "Cor!"

Turning to the boy, the gnomish goblin gardener saw the reaction of suspicion being turned on him. It was uncanny just how closely this child resembled the Goblin King. "Don't mind him," Hoggle blithely waved a hand, "He's just one of the many busybodies who live here."

Toby had his doubts; there was something about the worm that gave the boy a feeling of needing to be more cautious with his dealings with this gnomish little man. "Really," his left brow rose into his hair line, making him look even more like the king. "I see…" he turned to the worm, "What did you say about there being entrances?" he addressed the little bluish worm politely, and gave the gnome the cold shoulder.

"I said there is…" the little worm shook his head side to side.

Toby gazed back at the long corridor he and Hoggle had just come through; "I've got to get through the Labyrinth," he explained to the worm as if they were lifelong friends, "And there are no turnings, or openings, or anything." he blinked rapidly. "It just goes on and on."

Hoggle cleared his throat, warning the worm to keep still, the worm ignored him, "Ooh," the worm said, "You ain't looking right, you ain't. It's full of openings. It's just that you ain't seeing 'em, that's all." His voice was cheery and full of warm friendliness. He chuckled, good naturedly.

Toby scratched his head, "I don't see any opening."

"That's cause you ain't lookin at it right," the worm repeated. "There's an opening just across there," the worm went on. "It's right in front of you."

"Alfie," Hoggle gargled the name out, threateningly. "I told you to stay out of this…"

"Ignore him," encouraged the worm, "Go ahead, its right there!"

Toby blinked, "I don't see an opening," he murmured as he shuffled forward expecting to run into a solid wall. Instead he moved into an opening to another passageway. "There is an opening," he gasped. "Wow!"

"Can't take anything for granted here," warned the worm giving a dark warning glance to the gardener. "Not anything!"

The little towheaded boy held out his hand and observed how the optical illusion had fooled him. "Wow, that is sooooooo cool." He looked back at the worm that seemed to be having a staring contest going with Hoggle. "Thank you."

"Yer welcome lad," the worm said without taking his eyes off the gardener. "Next time ye come through you should stop in for tea and cake…"

"Next time," Toby asked cocking his head to one side, "I don't think there will be a next time."

The worm shrugged, "Well off with ya lad," he said encouragingly. "Oh and why not try the path way to the left?"

"No," Hoggle stormed, "That path is blocked," he growled.

Toby doubted it, the gnome had a reason for wanting to take him to the right, and Toby was certain the little man was up to no good. He peered down the new path, "It doesn't look blocked." He shrugged, and turned to the right, "But if you insist," he started down the same path his sister had taken years before, just as cheerily.

Hoggle glared at Alfie, "You almost ruined everything!"

"Did I," Alfie asked innocently. "Imagine that."

"Bah," huffed the gnome as he hurried down the path after the boy before he could lose sight of him.

Alfie looked over his shoulder at another little goblin creature, "Murphy, you'd best be off and tell the king old Hoggle's up ta no good." He shook his head, turning back to the wall that Toby had just passed into, "Poor little tyke… all alone with that gardener…"

--

Jareth fumed, what right did that girl, that infernal girl have insulting him? Sullenly he leaned on the trunk of the tree he had appeared beside. Feeling the same pain and agony he'd felt when Sarah had caused his endless puzzle room to shatter and pull apart. Wearily he closed his eyes, pouting and feeling the dry sob in his chest. How could she be so beautiful one moment and so cruel the next? Didn't she understand that she was breaking his heart?

"Sire," a quiet voice spoke up.

Jareth opened his eyes and saw Murphy at his boot, "Report," he sighed.

"The boy has passed Alfie's place~ Sire, that Hoggle person is with him, and up to something." The little goblin wagged a finger at the King in warning. "He tried to get Alfie not to talk to the lad…"

Pulling at his chin, Jareth gave thought to what Hoggle could be up to, "Did the boy seem concerned, or vexed or even upset?"

"No," the little goblin with large saucer eyes smirked, "That boy seemed at home." He slapped one hand to his leather leggings. "Why he marched into the Labyrinth bold as a prince!"

"He is a prince," Jareth sighed, "My little prince…" his sadness returned. "Keep tabs on them; I've got to return to the castle. I'll meet you and them at the tunnel." He handed a small coin to the goblin, "Well done, Murphy."

Murphy removed his feathered helmet and bowed deeply, "At your service, Sire;" Then swiftly rushed off again to keep tabs on the King's boy and the gnomish gardener.

Jareth took a deep breath, blew it out and exhaled all his tormented thinking. He then waved a hand and transported himself back to the castle.

--

Toby was enthralled, thrilled at being able to now wander down the winding paths that were indicative of the nature of a Labyrinth. While an older child or an adult might be put off by the slimy walls, or the ooze or the funky smells, Toby was not. Quite the contrary, he was as excited as if he'd just won a round of chutes and ladders off of Sarah! The colors of the moss and lichen and molds on the walls seemed very pretty to the little boy of six. The fragrances, while a bit earthy for some tastes seemed to electrify and stimulate the boy's imagination.

"This is soooooo cool!" he exclaimed as he sped up his pace. "Have you ever in your life seen anything like this?"

"I live here," grumbled the gardener, "See it all the time, it ani't nothing to write home about."

Toby stopped moving and turned to look sadly at the little man who had brought him into the winding maze of corridors. "You don't like it here," he lamented, "Such a pity."

Hoggle's eyes popped, that was the king's phrase, and this child used it all too well. "P~P~Pity?"

Toby smiled, not friendly, not vicious, not anything really, just a smile; "Look about you Hoggle, this is awesome~ It's every little boys dream." His eyes were wide and pleased and full of enthusiasm.

"This place," Hoggle asked looking about him disparagingly. "This is no dream, it's a nightmare!" He pointed to the wall, "It's slimy, it stinks and it's full of traps… The fairies bite, the plants grab ya and hold you upside down til ya can't thinks straight~" he continued to rant. "Half the time you don't know who to trust and the truth is… No one.. ya can't trust a bloodly soul here…"

Toby looked at the old gardener with sympathy, compassion, and forgiveness, "You're looking at it with grown up eyes… but for a kid; like me… this is sheer heaven." Toby turned and walked on.

Hoggle's shoulders slumped, "You're as daft as your sister," he muttered. "She thought this place was a piece of cake…"

Toby was far enough ahead of the gnomish little man that he had not heard him, "Come on Hoggle, I'll race ya through the stone maze ahead…" He prepared to run when a sound halted him in his tracks. It was music, strangely happy music playing on the air; seemingly coming a long distance. "What is that," he asked absentmindedly. "I know that~ song." His head began to bob to the rhythm of the music. "Why can't I recall the words?"

Hoggle looked toward the castle; he'd not heard that song in a very long time. He'd only heard that song once before, and somewhere deep down inside, he knew with every fiber of his being that the song was not a good omen. "It doesn't mean a thing," he lied briskly.

The blue eyes of the boy narrowed as he looked at the little man. "That's a lie, Hoggle, and you know it." The gardener only sputtered, Toby pivoted, and looked toward the castle. "I remember that tune… and being happy when I heard it… but it's all…so foggy." He placed a hand to his head, as if trying to force himself to recall.

"We should move on," urged Hoggle. "It doesn't pay to stand still here too long."

--

Jareth had appeared at the front gate, he paced back and forth, debating whether or not to enter. He was sure Sarah was going to demand fetching the boy right away, and he was not ready or willing to do that just yet. He was even more unwilling to be victimized by Sarah's temper. Pinching the bridge of his nose he began to wonder the sanity of wanting that girl. He was still infuriated and annoyed that she felt she'd the right to make any comment to him about his upbringing. What did she know of being a Fae, or a Royal for that matter? She was nothing more than the ungrateful child of an actress.

Still, he had to admit that his little stunt of making that particular chair appear was … ungracious at the least. He could not truly blame her for not wishing to be seated in the shards of glass that were now embedded in to the grain of the wood. It had been a bad-mannered uncivil and disrespectful move on his part, and he was only too aware of it. "I don't know why I did that," he said aloud to himself. "I wouldn't truly wish harm on her, not really…" he paced a bit more aware that goblins on the pathway in front of the castle were watching as discreetly as a goblin knew how. "She just seems to know how to make my blood boil…" Leaning on the wall beside the heavy doors he took a long breath. Knowing he could not stay outside the castle forever, and he was only putting off the inevitable.

--

Sarah watched the cleaning crew with a critical eye. "When was the last time you used a broom," she questioned one goblin who was sweeping or pretending to sweep up a mess off to the side of the throne.

"If you don't like the way I'm doing it, you can sweep this up yourself," he growled back irately. His insulting tone was met with approval by the rest who snickered nastily.

"And deprive you of the rewards of your loyalty?" she questioned, not fooled by the attempt to get out of work.

Beady goblin eyes peering down long pointed noses turned on her, "What would you know of loyalty?" demanded one of the goblins as he tossed down his cleaning cloth. "I recall you wished away your own brother… how loyal is that?"

"Not very," Sarah agreed without shame. "But I learned from my mistakes."

"Sure you did," another spoke up as he went back to washing the surface of the keg off. Years of grime and spillage coming up in the wet rag in his hand. "That's why you were about to make the biggest mistake of your life."

"Second biggest mistake of her life," the first one corrected. "Her biggest mistake was turning down our King…"

Sarah opened her mouth, ready to protest, but then snapped her mouth shut again. She had to admit; even she thought the goblins were right. Turning down Jareth had been a mistake, and if it had not been for the fact that she'd been so hell bent on getting Toby back home she would have made different choices. "Keep cleaning," she quietly commanded moving to the chair from the ballroom. Jareth had left it where he had made it appear. It was not only covered in glass, the glass from the shattered crystal ballroom was imbedded into the pretty white and gold chair. Her hand reached out to touch the back rail gently. One of the few things in the ballroom that had not had a pretty but corrupt appearance, it still carried the scent of candle wax, and perfume. Her hand traced the bamboo shaped spinals, and she lamented the destruction of the soft blue material that had been its seat cover. For the seat too was slashed by the shards of broken glass. A leather clad hand slipped over hers, she could feel his warmth as he moved closer to her and bent to speak in her ear.

"I apologize," he whispered in an emotional rasp, "It was cruel and thoughtless, and I'm sorry." His gloved hand closed about her fingers gently. "Forgive me."

Sarah looked at his hand before turning, her green eyes warmed as she looked at his sincere features. "I was wrong too," she whispered back, "I'm sorry."

His hand didn't move, but remained on hers as he looked into her sad eyes, "Sarah," he whispered. In that moment he might have granted her any wish, any within his power.

"I don't want to fight with you," she whispered urgently. "I just can't seem to help myself…"

Feeling a warmth surge in places he'd never experience warmth before he took a long raspy breath, "I know…" he pulled back from her, his hand moving slowly away from hers. "Your brother and the dwarf are past the first walls; they have seen the worm and are on their way."

"Is he alright," Sarah asked trying not to sound desperate.

"So it would seem," Jareth mused, "It has been reported to me that he marched into the Labyrinth bold as a little prince."

The image amused Sarah as well, "That sounds like Toby," she snickered lightly.

Jareth looked at the crew of goblins who were making progress at a snail's pace, "I see you've kept them working," he commented gently. "I'm sure that was no easy feat."

"They are not happy with me," Sarah agreed moving to stand beside the King, "They really didn't like getting the pig out of here…"

Looking down and to his side, he smiled softly at the young woman. "You should have let me use magic," he teased quietly. "We'd have a nice clean room by now."

Sarah looked up, a bit shyly. "But they would not appreciate it." Her voice trembled slightly. "Some things you have to~ experience to fully appreciate."

Pivoting, he gazed down into eyes that had the most elegant shading. "Sarah," he warned darkly with his signature smirk, "You've not yet truly experienced me."

A shiver, deliciously enticing and ever so pleasant, coursed through her at a pace that was like quick silver. "Sire," she blushed.

The hand that had moments ago been wrapped round hers moved to her face, caressing her cheek. "Don't defy me," he teased gently using words she'd remember. "Don't fight what is predestined. We will experience each other." He felt her quiver, and hear her breath quicken. "It is as predictable as the sunrise."

"Is it," she questioned, not challengingly, but softly, with reserve.

"Even before you ate the peach you were mine," he moved closer, now waiting for her to make a move.

Lips parted, and she gazed at him, "Be careful what you wish for Sire," she warned brazenly. "You just might get it…"

"I fully intend to "get it" Sarah," he purred. A faint glow warmed her cheeks as the blush spread. He had heard his father refer to this as "maiden's Glow", "I shall treasure you," he added hoping it would bridge the delicate subject being spoken of.

"You don't know what you're getting into," she warned gently. "I'm not always pleasant.. Or pleasing."

"I'm well aware," he inched closer, his hand now fondling her long swanlike neck. He inched forward, and then moved to stand behind her, his hand possessively stroking her throat. "I have no doubt we'll be at each other's throats from time to time." Long thing fingers flexed and tightened slightly, his breath was now on her ear, "Think of the fun we'll have making up…" his voice growled enticingly, answered by a soft growl in the throat held by the King. "I am a moth to your flame." He closed his eyes preparing for her denial and protest.

"No, you're gasoline to my fire…" she murmured.

Jareth took a breath, pulled her closer, "What a lovely way to burn," he crooned.

Sarah sighed, her head moving to his shoulder, as if this were the most natural interchange and conversation. Her lashes fluttered and then her eyelids closed. "I don't want to fight," she moaned slightly as her eyes opened once more and her face turned sad. "But Jareth…Toby.."

"Is safe," he promised drawing her back to lean against him once more. "And will remain so."

She felt his warmth, and his desire, "We can't…" she whispered trying to tamp down the flames he'd ignited within her.

"WE can," he crooned.

"No," she shook her head.

His teeth found her ear lobe, "Yes," he murmured.

"Not here, not now…" her voice begged.

His breath came in a long groaning exhale. "When then," he asked in a monotone groan.

Sarah turned, looked at him with quivering lips. "When Toby is here, safe and sound under your roof…."

"I have your word?" he narrowed his gaze, unflinchingly.

"Yes," she nodded. "You have my word."

He stared at her lips, "I'm afraid I must demand a bit of collateral." The hand at her throat migrated upward forcing her chin to rise as he lowered his chin. Inches from her lips he paused, his eyes met hers with a challenge; "Your move Sarah." He purred.

It seemed an eternity, each staring into the eyes of the other, unflinching, unwavering and resolute. Suddenly the electricity betwixt them exploded and the green eyed beauty lunged forward. Her lips hungry on his and her hands pulled him closer. A second wave of sound erupted out of the king's throat. Sarah felt the wall pressing against her back where she didn't remember a wall. His mouth was as hungry, as urgent and as demanding as hers. Now both his hands held her, one still locked on her throat, the other planted firmly in the small of her back. Her hands were knotting in the fabric of his ruffled shirt, as her lips parted under his.

Jareth's head pulled back, so swiftly they were both taken aback. He stared at her, panting like a voracious lion. Sarah leaned back on the wall, equally out of breath, but hands still gripping his shirt. Looking down the King smiled triumphantly, "Want to know what I ask in interest?"

"It'll be worth it," she gasped out breathily before swallowing hard and begging softly, "More.."

Jareth swooped down, capturing her eager and agreeable lips under his own. This time his tongue invaded the sweet territory of the moist cavern behind her lips. Moments later he fought his own urges to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off to his bedchamber. He pulled back took a long ragged breathe, stared at her with hungry eyes before turning. He started to walk toward the main entry of the castle.

"Where are you going," she whispered breathlessly, finding herself sliding down the wall.

"To bring the kid home," he said without looking back. "Save my place…."

"No problem," she promised, closing her eyes for fear of begging him to forget the baby….

Goblins watched the king stalk out of the room, looking more feral and virile than they'd witnessed before. They turned then in unison to look at the girl clinging to a wall for support. One gulped and then went back to his chores, the rest followed.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6.**_

Jefferson was standing in the groom's waiting room in the church. He was admiring the handsome figure he cut when he became aware of something. At first he was not certain what it was, but he knew something was off. The hair at the nape of his neck had begun to tingle, and then the air went all too still. He turned to his best man to ask if he noticed something amiss when he realized time in the mortal frame had been paused. "Damn it," he cursed violently. "Who's messing with my special day and my plans?" He stalked past the frozen figure of his best man and out into the church proper, his father was already on his way to the groom's room. "What do you know about this," he demanded hotly.

"Watch your manners," warned the senior Daniels icily. "This is something only Royals can do, and only under precise circumstances." He looked at the church full of guests awaiting a bride and a splashy wedding. "This feels like the work of one Royal, and if it is, you've got more trouble than you ever planned for."

"Who," Jefferson demanded once more.

"This kind of temporal freeze happens on the mortal plan only when someone has been wished away… to the goblins." Ridge Daniels informed his offspring, turning to look at the frozen figure of his mortal wife.

"How can you be so sure," questioned the young Halfling. "It's been years since you were last in contact with those on the other side of the mists."

Chuckling under his breath, Ridge looked back at his son with sardonic mirth. "Some things one never forgets, boy." Reaching into the vest of his expensive Armani Tux, Ridge removed something from his inner pocket of his vest. The object was small, oval and shinny, a scry glass. "Reveal," he said with authority. The glass in his hand fogged before it began to show images of what had transpired.

_**Sarah moved to the hall where she picked up the extension to speak with her groom, "Jeff this had better be important," she warned. "I'm swamped here, and the photographer will be here any moment now."**_

_**Jeff laughed carelessly; "Sweetheart, this is very important," his voice was confident and robust. "You'd better pack that extra bag we talked about; we're going to be extending the wedding trip… I've received a rather prestigious invitation from the governor of Virginia!" **_

_**"How nice for you," Sarah sighed, not really as impressed as she knew she should be; "When?"**_

_**"Right after we return from Spain," he said still feeling pleased with himself, "Straight through to when we are due at my parents for the Thanksgiving Holidays." **_

_**Sarah, unaware that Toby was in the hall watching and listening, pursed her lips and stated in a very flat manner. "That won't work for me, Jeff. I promised Toby I'd be at his holiday recital, you know that." **_

_**Toby's body stiffened just as the first rumble of thunder sounded over head. His eyes began to narrow, and his lips thinned to a hard line. From where he stood he could clearly hear the voice of Sarah's groom on the phone. Toby always felt the man spoke much louder than he need to, all to be noticed and taken seriously. Toby's dislike of Jefferson was igniting to hate.**_

_**"Oh come on Sarah, surely he has enough attention from your father and his wife." Jeff sounded slightly annoyed. "I'm talking the governor! This is much more important than some silly school pageant." **_

_**"Jeff, I gave my word, and my word still means something to me," Sarah said and looked up as the shadows changed in the hall. The light from the window shifted, and Sarah saw the dark clouds rolling in. "Just great," she muttered. "Jeff couldn't we go to the Governor's mansion after Toby's recital?"**_

_**"No," Jeff said harshly. "I've already accepted for us."**_

_**"Well I already told Toby I'm attending his recital," Sarah countered. "And I made the engagement long before you got this invitation." **_

_**"He'll just have to understand," Jeff sluffed off the boy's sure to be hurt feelings. "Some things are more important than his recital."**_

_**"That's not fair," Sarah said, regretting the words as they exploded out of her lips. **_

_**"Life's not fair, time that spoiled brat learned that Sarah." Jeff stated without concern, "You and your parents baby the hell outta that kid, and it's time he learned a few facts of life. I've accepted and that's that. I'll see you in the church," the line went dead.**_

_**"Jeff, Jeff…" Sarah shook the receiver at the ceiling and the rumbling overhead. "Damn it!" Turning she saw Toby, "Not now," she warned as she stalked back to her room. Linda had gone down to greet the photographer; an old friend of hers was doing this shoot as a favor. Sarah could hear the voices of her mother and stepmother down in the foyer. **_

_**Toby followed Sarah into the bedroom, just as the lights began to flicker and the skies darken in earnest. "Sarah, you promised," he growled. "You promised you'd be at the recital."**_

_**Stressed and angry, Sarah stomped her foot, "Toby, not now!"**_

_**"Yes, now," he argued reaching for her arm. "Are you going to be there?"**_

_**"I want to," Sarah said pulling her arm free as the first bolt of lighten flashed. She looked at the rattling windows, now why did that strike a chord? The rain pelted the windows in long hard sheets.**_

_**"Want to shamon-to…" her brother railed. "Are you going to keep your promise?"**_

_**Wanting to pull her hair out, and to rip off the gown, Sarah backed away from the boy and his coming tantrum. "I may not be able to," she admitted feeling a sense of defeat that was foreign to her being. **_

_**"You lied to me!" he screamed. **_

_**Linda and Karen both heard the scream down in the foyer, and looked at one another. The photographer looked up at the stairs before looking at the shocked faces of the two women. **_

_**"No, I didn't," Sarah railed right back. "When I said I'd be there, I really thought I could be…Toby, you don't understand…"**_

_**"I hate you," Toby pulled off his tux jacket, throwing it to the floor and stomping on it. "And I hate this stupid wedding! And most of all I hate that stupid man you're going to marry."**_

_**"Toby," his mother's voice came from the stairs. "Toby what are you doing?"**_

_**Glaring at Sarah, he extended his hand, his index finger wagging in the flashing of lightening. "I hate you Sarah, and I wish the Goblins would come and take you away… right now!"**_

_**Sarah blinked; she knew those words all too well. "Toby…no…" she looked up as the lights flickered and went off. Sarah felt the flickering electricity in the air and screamed. **_

_**Lightning flashed and thunder hammered the air. Toby gave out with a **__**high-pitched**__** screech**__** of his own**__**, **__**the storm raged on over Sarah's house. The clouds boiled. Rain lashed the leaves on the trees. Thunder was followed by lightning. **_

_**Toby was listening. What he heard was an unnatural silence within the room. Sarah had stopped screaming so suddenly it scared her brother. He looked back to where she had been standing only a moment ago. The bedside light was out. "Sarah?" he called to her softly. She did not respond. There was no sound coming from within the room or from out in the hall, no sound at all coming from anywhere inside the house. The only sound was coming from the large French windows and the storm outside. **_

_**A white owl was flapping insistently on the glass; Toby could see the light from the landing reflected in its great, round, dark eyes, watching him intently. The whiteness of its plumage was illuminated by a series of lightning flashes that seemed continuous. Behind him, a goblin briefly raised his head, and ducked down again. Another did likewise both snickered and jeered. Toby didn't seem them; his eyes were fixed, locked on the owl's eyes. **_

_**Lightning crackled and flashed again, and this time it distracted him attention from the window by shining on the clock that stood on the mantelpiece; he saw that the hands were at thirteen o'clock. He blinked and was staring distractedly at the clock when he felt something nudge the back of his legs. He glanced down; something was moving across the carpet on scaly legs like a lizard's, with talons for toes. Toby's lips parted, but made no sound. **_

_**Behind him, something snickered. He spun around and saw it duck down again behind the chest of drawers. Shadows were scuttling across the walls. Goblins were prancing and bobbing behind him. Toby was watching the chest of drawers. Like the thing on the floor, it had a scaly, clawed foot at each corner, and it was dancing. Sarah's dresser and vanity were also dancing wildly .Even the tux jacket he had thrown on the floor was scurrying away.**_

_**Toby wheeled around, mouth open, hands clenched, and saw the goblins cavorting. They ducked away into the shadows, to evade his eyes .He looked for something that would serve as a weapon. In the corner of the bride's room was an old prop broom that had been used by Sarah in a play. Toby took it and advanced upon the goblins. "Go away. Go away," he demanded, trying to sweep them up, but the handle of the broom twisted in his hands and slithered out of his grasp. **_

_**The storm wind rose to a pitch. Lightning made daylight in the room, and scared faces suddenly began to vanish into cupboards, drawers, or down the cracks between floorboards. As the thunder boomed and the wind shook the curtains, a blast of air blew the window open violently. Between the fluttering curtains the white owl entered. **_

_**Toby wrapped his arms around his face, protectively and cried out. He felt the wind blowing his hair around, but the flapping had ceased. Between fingers he peeked out, to see where the bird was perched. Perhaps it had flown out again. A prolonged crackling of lightning was throwing a giant shadow on the wall facing the window. It was the shadow of a human figure. Toby pirouetted around as if in slow motion, with a grace he had no knowledge of. **_

_**Silhouetted against the stormy sky was a man, a vaguely familiar man. He wore a cloak, which swirled in the wind. Toby could see that his hair was shoulder-length and blond, the same shade that Toby's hair was. There was something else about his hair, its wild cut was familiar and Toby fought the urge to reach out and touch the strands that seemed to float on the air. Something glinted about this stranger's neck, an amulet of some kind; more than that he could not see in the dim light. **_

_** "Uh ...," Toby cleared his throat having for a moment forgotten all about Sarah. "Who are you?" **_

_**"Don't you know?" The man's voice was calm, almost kindly. Lightning traced the veins of the sky and lit up his face. He was not smiling, as one might smile on greeting a stranger, nor was his expression fierce. His eyes were fixed upon Toby's with an intensity he found compelling. When he took a step toward the boy, into the light shining from the doorway, Toby did not retreat. If his eyes and voice had not hypnotized him, the golden chain around his neck might have. A sickle-shaped ornament hung from it, upon his chest. His shirt was black, loose-sleeved, with silken cuffs at the wrist. Over it he wore a tight, black breastplate of armor. He was shod in black boots, over fitted black breeches, and on his hands were black gloves, soft well worn leather. His cloak attached to his shoulders and there was a high collar on the black as midnight garment. Accompanying him was a very strong scent, one that lingered like spices and fresh air. Surrounding him was a swirl of some sparkly glittery substance that as soon as it touched the floor or walls vanished. **_

_**"I ...," Toby answered. "I ..." The humming that he had thought he heard in the air was now quite distinct, and musical. The stranger smiled at his hesitancy, Toby had not expected that. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper. "You're ... him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King..." **_

The glass went dark; as it did it began to vibrate violently, Ridge placed his free hand over it to settle the secreted possession. "Your bride is no long available," the father advised the son. He didn't sound disturbed or upset, he sounded as calm as a glassy sea. "You'd best look elsewhere."

"Hog wash," Jefferson spat. "You think I'm going to sit back and allow some second rate Fae King muck with my well laid plans?" He slapped a hand down to the altar rail, "I can't believe that brat wished his sister away. Spoiled little bastard!"

"Something you should know," Ridge advised coolly, "A few years back I heard tell of a girl who had attracted the attentions of the Goblin King… it's said she is the only person to ever reach the center of his Labyrinth…"

"And," Jefferson rolled his eyes impatiently. His father had a habit of drawing out a story, and he was not in the mood for one of his "Fae Tales".

"If what I heard was true, and I suspect it was~ your Sarah is that very girl," Ridge shrugged.

"You say you heard this story, "Jeff growled with dark intent, "So you must still have contacts on that side."

"A few," Ridge admitted, seeing no reason to lie.

"I suggest you get a hold of someone who can put us on that side," Jeff locked his jaw. "I'm going to issue a complaint against this… Goblin King!"

Amused by his son's ignorance of the Fae realms, Ridge chuckled darkly. "I'm afraid you don't understand," he waved to the stupefied congregation. "Young Toby wished his sister away, but must have had second thoughts, hence the suspended state of your guests. You see each wisher is given a choice, they can either accept a gift in exchange for the person they wished away~" Ridge moved with a grace that mere mortal men had forgotten long ago. "Or they can run the Labyrinth in an effort to win back the wished away." He paused, looked at his mortal wife and sighed. "Young Toby must be in the Labyrinth… and until his time has run out or he succeeds everything in this real will remain suspended."

"I don't see how that has anything to do with my issuing a complaint!" Jefferson barked.

"Sarah is in the castle of the Goblin King… her…" Ridge explained losing some of his humor. "Foe… you heard the Goblin King, Toby delivered her to him, and he didn't seem interested in even allowing the boy to run."

"Father," Jefferson huffed. "You don't expect me to allow…" He paused, annoyed. "I would still like to make my case to whoever is in the seat of power."

Ridge sighed, placed one elegant hand behind his back, "That would be Oberon."

"Is there a way for us to… call him up or reach him?" the younger man asked.

The father of the groom didn't appear happy, "There is a way," he said with reluctance. "However once you ask the High King to intervene, you'll be stuck with his decision." He held out his hand, placing it on his son's sleeve. "More importantly, the High King will know of your existence and you will be under his authority." He cautioned, "Think it over, Jefferson… there will be no going back."

"Sarah and I are getting married today," Jefferson said firmly. "Now what do we do?"

Inclining his head, Ridge motioned for the younger man to follow him out of the church to the court yard. "This cannot be done in a church… hallowed ground and all…" he led him just outside the church yard into the wooded area beyond. Once clear of the sacred grounds, the older Daniels reached once more into his vest; he withdrew a stone, a clear glowing stone on a fine sliver chain. He held it extended and said something in a language that Jefferson was not familiar with. A portal opened, and the father motioned his son to follow him.

--

Oberon was seated in the arbor his face tranquil and full of grace, listening to one of his minions reciting. "That's very nice Mustardseed," he praised when the recital ended. He applauded politely, though he'd not heard much beyond the first sentence. Oberon understood that most of his subjects were trying their best to keep him amused. He looked over at his wife Tatiana with her painted on smile that didn't reach her lovely eyes. "We both thank you." Rising he extended a hand to her, expecting that the court would take that as a cue to disperse. He was the only one to hear her exhale of relief, the rest of the court was distracted by the appearance of strangers at the back of the room.

Glancing toward the ruckus Tatiana's face blanched, "Ridge," she whispered.

Oberon turned, the hand extended to his wife dropped, as did his jaw. "Ridge," the name came out like an angry utterance.

The High Queen of the Fae touched her husband's arm, "Who is that with him?"

"I don't know," Oberon whispered back now standing as majestically as he'd ever done, facing a man who was once his closest brother in arms. "Ridge Woodbine," he addressed the returning outcast icily.

The man in the expensive Armani tuxedo walked up the main aisle with a calm expression on his handsome face, "My Lord High King," his voice didn't trembled or waver, "You're looking well." He bowed slightly toward the woman at the High King's side. "Your Majesty," he addressed her politely; "Your servant."

The younger man raised a brow while he kept silent, but the upraised brow was observed by Oberon, and marked. "How is it we have the pleasure of your company, Woodbine?" he addressed the elder of the pair approaching. Tatiana slowly descended back to the seat she'd been occupying. The High King would have liked to have the luxury to seeing to her, but he wasn't always able to do as he wished. Being High King meant he had responsibility and obligations.

Ridge Daniels smiled, "Woodbine," he mused gently, "A name I've not been called a good many years. I'm known as Ridge Daniels in the mortal realm," he announced blithely as he motioned the younger man forward. "This is my son, Jefferson."

It was Tatiana's turn to drop her jaw, "Your son," she studied the arrogant young man moving forward.

Ridge regretted causing the woman distress or anxiety, sighing he addressed the High King. "My son comes to petition you, Sire."

Oberon didn't react to her outburst; he was too busy observing the newcomer. Resuming his throne, the High King motioned the pair to approach.

Jefferson bowed to the High King, not even thinking about the woman on the dais. "Sire." He addressed him with measured respect.

Oberon was sure there was a touch of sarcasm in the boy's tone, but overlooked it, "What is it you need from me young Woodbine?"

Bristling, Jefferson answered, "My name is Daniels, Jefferson Davis Daniels," there was arrogance and confidence in the young man. "What I seek from you is justice!"

"I see," Oberon seemed amused, while his queen was not. "I take it than you are ready to concede to me as a subject."

"No," Jefferson answered blandly, "However the one I've a complaint against does bow to your authority." He was removing his gloves, and held them tightly in one hand.

Tatiana stood, "He's human," she gasped before she turned to accuse the elder of the pair. "You sired a human!"

"Half human," Ridge corrected calmly.

"An abomination," she spat out violently. "You could have married my sister, instead you prefer a…. mortal?"

"Your sister and I didn't make good company," Ridge said politely. "My wife on the other hand is excellent company."

"Send this abomination away!" the Fairy Queen demanded of her husband.

"My good woman," Oberon addressed her with mild irritation, "He's a Halfling, therefore he still has standing in our kingdom… or would you have me exile every Halfling?" The Fairy Queen was quickly silenced; she herself had Halfling children and would protect them with her dying breath. She sat down and closed her eyes. Oberon looked away from her and back to the young man. "You said you've a complaint; who is it against?"

"The Goblin King," Jefferson said coldly.

Oberon looked over at Ridge, "Jareth," he questioned. "What has Jareth done to you?"

"He stole my bride!" Jefferson raged.

"Impossible," huffed the Fairy Queen leaning back and looking beyond annoyed. "The Goblin King cannot steal a baby let alone a bride." She glared at Ridge, "Haven't you taught this child of yours anything of us?"

"I tell you he stole her away, just hours before our wedding!" Jefferson snapped waspishly at the Queen. Ridge cleared his throat and the younger man backed down. "My father and I left our guests in a state of suspended animation in the church."

Oberon edged forward, "Your guests were suspended… that would mean a runner in the Labyrinth..."

"So my father informed me," Jefferson glowered. "However, I protest this entire fiasco! I mean really, a child wishes his elder sister away on her wedding day and this goblin King just whisks her off… no… not my bride to be!" He pointed a finger at the High King, "I know a thing or two about law, mortal and Fae… and I demand that you order your Goblin King to return my bride!" Before the High King could answer him he snarled. "I won't have Sarah spending time with … goblins!"

Oberon gasped, "Sarah." The High Queen began to cackle. Oberon fought the urge to join her. "Do you mean to tell me your intended is Sarah Williams?"

"Indeed…" Jefferson replied with haughtiness that was uberFae. "We'd be saying our I do's right not if it were not for her spoiled little brother~"

"Toby," Oberon said under his breath.

"Yes," Jefferson answered unaware that the High King was no longer paying attention. "That miserable little… monster."

"That miserable little monster is rather special to the Goblin King," The Fairy Queen said with icy accuracy.

"Then he's welcome to him," snapped the young Halfling man; "Soon as I have my bride back."

"I cannot help you," Oberon sighed. "Once a runner is in the Labyrinth it is out of my hands."

"Is that so," Jefferson regarded the man on the throne with contemptuous eyes. "I see… well since you will do nothing, I'll have to do something about this myself." Electricity formed a dangerous aura about the man. "You could have prevented bloodshed!" Jefferson Davis Daniels stormed out and headed toward the court yard of the grand palace of the High King.

Ridge looked over at Oberon, "I tried to warn him." He said quietly.

"You'd better keep an eye on your son," Oberon sighed, "While I go warn mine."

Bowing to the High King and Queen, Ridge Woodbine Daniels pivoted and exited.

--

Out side the palace, Jefferson closed his eyes and concentrated, mind over matter. "Show me the boy," he growled to himself. An image formed in his mind, that of a golden haired blue eyed child in a rented tux being accompanied by a dwarf through a maze. Jefferson spread his arms, "Take me to the boy," he commanded and vanished.

Ridge arrived just in time to see the last sparkle dissipate. "Oh dear," he said in a long sigh. His long fingers reached into his jacket for his scry glass. "Show me where he's gone," he commanded. Seeing the unmistakable background, Ridge knew, "Fool boy," he uttered. "No one goes into the Labyrinth uninvited." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Jefferson, have you forgotten everything I've taught you?" He rubbed the glass and ended the image.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

__Toby laughed all the way down the shaft of hands, tickled by fingers and gently moved down to the darkness of the oubliette. He was dangled and laughed as the last of the hands gently lowered him to the floor. Looking up he could see Hoggle being manhandled by the same hands that had been tender and gentle with him. Stepping out of the way he watched as the dwarf dropped with a crash to the bottom of the oubliette floor. The lid was shut and the room darkened except for a candle that was burning.

"We were expected," Toby observed pointing to the candle.

Grumbling and grousing, Hoggle snapped waspishly, "Of course we were!"

Toby looked at the room, "So this is an oubliette…" he commented as if he knew them intimately. "Sarah told me about them, but I never thought I'd see one."

Dusting himself off as he peeled himself off the floor, Hoggle stared angrily before exploding at the little boy, "Did you have to be so confounded disrespectful to the ruse? They would have let us pass, but no!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs. "No, you can't just let them get out their prose, no you've got to tell them the answer before they can finish! Didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?"

"But it was a piece of cake;" boasted the little boy, "A blind man could have seen the answer."

Hoggle slapped his face with an open hand, fingers splayed over his features, "You and your sister," he groaned. "So cocky!"

"I know what I'm doing," Toby said saucily.

--

Sarah, still quaking from the passion of Jareth's kiss, stood up and leaned on the wall watching the goblins go about cleaning the throne room. She turned to look out the window, "I wonder where Toby is now," she said aloud.

"He's in an oubliette," a voice said cheerily. "Alleo!"

Sarah looked down to find the worm on the sill of the window, "Hello," she greeted him warmly. "What did you say about Toby?"

"I said he's in an oubliette." The little goblin worm inched forward; "How's about a spot o tea?"

Sarah snickered lightly, "I don't know how to even begin requesting one…"

The worm inched forward, "Ho, Mealy, how's about tea for me and the lady here?"

Mealy, a swarthy little goblin turned and tossed his broom aside, "Tea," he perked up, "Oh that sounds loverly." He dashed off calling out, "Tea time!"

All work stopped and Sarah winced as she heard dishes crashing, "Oh great, now we'll never get them back to work."

"Sure you will lovey," encouraged the worm. "Now tell us all the latest gossip…"

--

Jefferson, still in his wedding apparel, now stood impatiently outside the Ruse Doors. The right sides up guards were eyeing him with suspicion, and the upsides down ones were snickering behind their hands. Being of an analytical mind, Jeff was taking a moment to study the situation, "What is this," he questioned aloud, "Some kind of choice test?" The Ruse guards gasped at his grasp of the concept and stared at each other. Jefferson heaved a heavy sigh and looked at one of the guards, "Before I answer any questions, I have one for you," the guard drew back glaring at the stranger. "Did a little blond boy come this way?" Jefferson held his hand out at the approximate height of Toby.

"Don't tell him," cautioned one of the lower guards, "He don't look right…"

"He's not a runner," warned the other of the upside down guards.

Setting his jaw, his lips became a grim thin line. "Fine then, how does this work?" he motioned to the doors behind the sets of guards.

"One of the doors leads to the castle," The guard on the right told him in a cheerfully sarcastic voice, while the other three heads piped in with a 'Ba ba ba bum…' "And the other one leads to certain death." The guard smiled a wide toothy smile, "Still interested?"

Jefferson closed his eyes, closing out all distractions; he could smell Toby and knew the child had indeed passed this way. "Which is which?" He asked as his eyes opened. Now they had a bit more danger in them.

The upside down guards behind their shields began to quake, "WE can't tell you." Timidly one of them pointed upward, "Only they can."

Jefferson drew in air through his flaring nostrils, "So?" his tone was demanding.

The pair of upright guards stared at him, "You can only ask one of us…." The other who had not spoken nodded in agreement; "It's in the rules… you do understand rules don't you?" His voice came fast and sneering, and at the same time his eyes shifted uneasily as he tried to size up this stranger before him. He tapped a finger on some ciphers on his shield, which were presumably the rules. "And I think I should warn you that one of us always tells the truth and one of us always lies. That's a rule, too." His glance flickered at his partner as he inclined his head sideways. "He always lies."

The partner growled, "That's a lie! I tell the truth!" The pair beneath the shield snickered and gaffed. "Shut up," the accused snapped at the pair only to be rewarded with more snickering.

Jefferson was not amused by the behavior, nor was he distracted by them, he'd come up against worse in his career. The pair at the bottom snickering behind their shields, rather insolently, added to the confusion they thought, "You see," one said coarsely, "even if you ask one of them, you won't know if the answer you get is true or false."

Pulling on his chin, Jefferson remembered a law problem discussed in one of his classes, and the professor telling him to think before reacting. "It's a riddle," he mused. "A riddle in logic…" He began to nod to himself, "Like the riddle of the Sphinx." The guards at the top of the shields glanced at each other and shrugged, while they waited for him to ask one of them the fateful question. "There's one question I can ask and it doesn't matter which one of them I ask." he clicked her tongue, as he reasoned. "What could it be? Think Jefferson; think… logic it out…" Suddenly the young man began to snicker, the sound was not pleasant. His face looked sardonic and cynical and cruel, "Of course," he mused; "Of course."

The pair of heads above the shields stared, "Of course?" one asked.

Jefferson's jaw hardened and his face became a stony mask. "It really does not matter which of you I ask, it's the question that matters." He glared at the pair, "All that matters is the question." He stepped closer, almost threateningly. "Answer yes or no. Would he," and he pointed at the guard to the right, "tell me that this door," he pointed at the door behind the guard being questioned, "leads to the castle?"

The guard not being questioned gasped out, "How did you do that? How could you come up with that?"

"Logic," Jefferson replied not looking anywhere but into the eyes of the guard being questioned. "So you rat faced pipsqueak, what's your answer?"

Jaw quivering, and a bit of drool falling from his lips, the guard answered, "Uh… yes?"

Looking at the door behind the guard, Jefferson nodded, "the other door leads to the castle, this door leads to certain death."

"Are you sure?" the heads beneath the shield questioned. "How do you know, he could be telling you the truth…"

"No, he couldn't…" Jefferson announced. "If he were than you'd be lying and the answer would be the same."

"Wait a minute," questioned the one who had been questioned with a frown. "Is that right?"

"I don't know," replied his counterpart airily. "I wasn't listening, and I never understood it myself." He snickered. "So you want to enter?" he addressed Jefferson with a cockiness.

The man in the tux narrowed his gaze, "Step aside fools," he shoved the pair apart opened the door and looked down at what was a very oblivious trap door. "Amateurish," he said frostily. "I can see that a child would miss this."

"Most of the pass through traffic here are children," the guards sniffed huffily.

Jefferson easily crossed over to the safety of the ground beyond the trap door, "What does that lead to?"

"Oubliette," answered the guard sadly from the bottom of the shield. He turned to his partner and bemoaned, "He's ruining everything!"

Jefferson moved away from the sniveling pairs of guards, he was following an inner instinct. The path was almost overgrown from lack of foot traffic. As he wandered down the path he was aware that Toby's scent was diminishing, that he was getting ahead of the boy. A plot began to develop and take shape in the analytical and systematically methodical mind of the Halfling. He could get the drop on the boy, and have a bargaining chip. He was rather certain that this Goblin King could be manipulated, after all… he lived with and ruled goblins, how powerful or smart could he be?

--

Hoggle snapped once more at the boy before walking over to the bench door that was still hung on the wall as a door, "I've had enough," he bellowed. "Let's just get you to the castle so you can do what you have to do to get back to your own world… who cares if I ever see Sarah again…it's not like she tried to keep contact…" he muttered as he walked out of the oubliette.

"You know," Toby followed the dwarf, "with your attitude I'm surprised Sarah was ever friends with you."

Hoggle spun on the boy, "You know nothing of it!"

"No," Toby admitted freely. "I really don't, so why don't you tell me about it."

Big blue eyes stared at the boy, watery and full of memories, "It don't concern you," he grumbled. "It's between me, your sister, and the King."

"I see," Toby made a face, "how boring."

Hoggle turned, "Let's just get you to the castle." Hoggle could smell the distinct fragrance of the king up ahead. He knew he'd be waiting in the passage where he'd surprised Sarah, and had even flirted with her outrageously. Like he had a right to tease and tantalize the little girl, him the big bad goblin king!

Toby shuffled along, "Hoggle," he asked moving slowly. "Why did the Goblin King call Sarah his Foe?"

Hoggle smiled to himself before turning to answer the child, "Did he?"

"Yes, back in Sarah's bedroom…he said I had delivered to him his foe…" Toby was still feeling guilty, but he also felt something else, something akin to victory over an enemy. "He said he didn't want me to run the Labyrinth…"

Hoggle seemed truly surprised; "He said that, did he?" the boy nodded. "Well, that's damned odd…" Turning the tables, Hoggle asked the child a question, "Why'd you wish her away?"

"I was mad," Toby shoved his hands into his pants pockets, feeling irritable once more at the thought. "She's made all kinds of promises," he lamented. "She was going to not let her marriage interfere in our… our…." He couldn't find a word.

"Relationship," Hoggle supplied the word.

"Yes," Toby nodded, "But she lied to me," he growled.

"I know the feeling," Hoggle agreed. "She's really good at makin' promises, not so great at keepin' em."

Lower lip quivering the boy asked, "What did she promise you?"

"She said she needed us… sometimes…for no reason…" Hoggle's throat had gone dry and the words rasped out. He sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve, "Don't matter, I don't need her… I don't need anyone!"

"I need her," Toby whispered after Hoggle had turned his back, "I still need her…" his anger gave way and his feelings for his sister surfaced. "I love her Hoggle, she's my sister… I can't just let her… oh why did I wish her away?" he moved quickly to catch up with the dwarf.

Hoggle shrugged, "I can't answer that."

"Go no furtherer," a stony voice boomed.

"This is not the way!"

"Soon, it will be too late…"

"False alarms," Hoggle said with a smirk.

"Are they," a voice asked as hands reached out and snatched the boy up off his feet.

Toby seeing who was grabbing him yelped; "Hoggle!" But he and his assailant vanished into a dark swirl of glitter.

Hoggle stood with his mouth open, shocked, for he had not sensed any other presecen save that of the King up ahead. "Your majesty!" he shouted as he ran on stubby legs to where Jareth was waiting for him and the child. "Your majesty!" he collapsed into a ball at the feet of the King. "It wasn't my fault! Honest, I had no idea…"

Jareth looked at the quivering mass of Hoggle, and then looked about for Toby. "Where's the boy?"

"Taken," Hoggle moaned.

"Taken," Jareth repeated, "By who?" He pulled Hoggle up by an ear, "Who would dare take the child from the Labyrinh?"

"One who feels you've stolen what you've no right to," a voice calm and mature answered.

Dropping the mass of trembling dwarf, Jareth turned to face the owner of the voice, "High King," he gasped. "My Lord, what brings you into the Labyrinth?"

"You do," Oberon answered without mirth. "You and your unfinished business," he had materialized out of nowhere. "I had hoped to be timelier, I had thought I could spare you and the boy… but alas, I cannot."

"What are you talking about," Jareth demanded. "Who took Toby? And why?" he sputtered like a maddened dog, barking out his anger. "NO one is allowed to interfere with a runner!"

"Yes, well young Woodbine either is unaware of that, or simply does not care," Oberon observed.

"Woodbine," questioned the Goblin King, "I know that name… don't I?"

"Lord Woodbine, the one who refused my queen's sister as consort," Oberon nodded. "It seems he's living well in the mortal realm… and has taken a mortal wife. It is his son that has taken your… Toby."

"Why," demanded Jareth.

"Does the name Jefferson Davis Daniels mean anything to you," Oberon asked with an elegant brow raise.

Clenching his hands into tight fists, the Goblin King threw back his head and roared.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8.**_

Sarah heard the vibration long before the heads of the goblins popped up, her tea cup slipped from her fingers as she stood up. One goblin in the middle of complaining about the clean floor let out a scream. Others also screamed, Sarah held her ears and looked at the worm.

"The king is in trouble," he said making a beeline for the window he'd come in by. "Stay put," he warned, "Let us take care of this."

"Toby," Sarah called out. "Something's happened to Toby!"

"Don't worry lady," a goblin tugged at Sarah's skirt, "We'll take care of this."

Sarah moved to the window, heart pounding and fearful. "Toby, oh Toby…" She moaned softly; "This is my fault, all of it is my fault." Her fingers turned white gripping the sill so tightly; "Oh why did I ever wish you away?"

--

Oberon stood patiently by as the Goblin King roared with anger and pitched the move violent fit he'd. When the first wave of roaring had ceased, the High King crossed his arms and asked quietly, "Are you done?"

Feeling quite ill, Jareth leaned forward and griped his knees, "Not by a long shot," he growled, "Who in the hell does this fool think he is?"

"Sarah's rightful groom," Oberon offered with no sign of amusement. He placed one hand to the base of the Goblin King's neck, "Keep your head down, and breathe slowly." Watching his son recover the High King sighed impatiently, "Really Jareth I thought we were through with this foolishness after she and her brother were returned to their home."

"I didn't cause this to happen," Jareth replied defensively, gaining enough of his balance to stand and face his Sovereign, "Honestly, I didn't pursue her."

"I was informed that young Master Toby wished her away," Oberon acknowledged, "What I need to know is if you in any way influenced him."

The Goblin King sighed deeply, sounding annoyed and frustrated, "For once I can claim total innocence!"

The High King said nothing, looked into the eyes of his childe, and nodded, "Yes, I can see that this time you are." Shaking his head he frowned, "Not that it does us much good." Moving to a stump of an old tree, he took a seat, "My boy I'll be honest with you, I'd have preferred if this had not happened. Your involvement with that girl…"

"Father, I love her." Jareth stated with closed eyes. "Granted this was not how I planned on returning to her life, but beggars cannot be choosers."

Quizzically the High King explored his son's features. "You planned on returning to her life, how?"

Quilt filled the younger King, "Father there's a little matter of having tricked Sarah into eating a peach…"

Groaning the High King shielded his eyes with one hand, "An enchanted peach?" He shook his head, "You get this from your mother's side of the family… this enchanting of fruit!" He groaned deeper, "Well it's over and done with… I imagine you were planning on sending the boy back once he'd lost, and filtered the memories of the mortals…" He saw shadows pass over Jareth's face and asked, "You were planning on sending the boy back were you not?"

Clearing his throat, Jareth confessed. "I fed him too…"

The hand shielding his eyes dropped and Oberon gaped at the younger King for a moment. "Good Lord in Heaven man," he rasped out. "You've lost your mind."

"I intended for Toby to remain in his realm until he was older…" Jareth made a clean breast of it. "I wanted him to grow up in that world so he'd be a better king in this one."

"You were intending on him replacing you," Oberon asked.

"Yes," Jareth said quietly, "I intended to retire to my lodge with my wife and create beautiful Halflings with her."

"Did you know that Sarah had become engaged?" The High King inquired softly.

"No," Jareth admitted, "And I should have…" more guilt filled his voice, "I touched her…on her last visit…"

"You what," Oberon struggled for breath.

"You better know the all of it," Jareth placed his hands behind his back, "I sang Fae song to her as well…"

Confusion showed on the face of the leader of the Seelie court. "Let me understand this, you tricked her into eating an enchanted peach, you touched her and sang to her…" when the younger king nodded. "Did you sing to her before or after you touched her?"

"During," blushed the younger king, "I sang to her as we danced…"

"She should not have be able to return to her realm…" protested Oberon, "You know cannon as well as I do, perhaps even better as you are in much more closer proximity to the mortals than I."

"I allowed it," Jareth took a seat beside his father, "I couldn't keep her… she was~ too young." Embarrassed he sighed, "She has the most enchanting eyes, and a soul that called out to me… and I knew we were fated~"

"Fated," grumbled the High King, "Boy you've caused an incident here!" He rose to pace, "Sarah's groom is here to reclaim her…"

"She does not love him," Jareth informed the pacing elder. "I asked, and she admitted she didn't love him."

"This is too much," Oberon chuckled. "If this happened to someone else I'd be rolling in the aisle." Taking a long breath he mused; "Boy there are times when you are just too much like me.."

"Not entirely," Jareth shrugged, "I've only touched, sang to and danced with one mortal… Sarah, my equal."

"Your equal," Oberon ventured enigmatically, "Yes you'd best hope his is…" He took a most royal stance and gazed at his son. "We've a problem here, you've a wished away… child, and a runner who has been kidnapped." He shook his head, "And because I was not aware of the existence of the Halfling Woodbine, I have no radar on him."

"And because I've allowed my heir to grow up in the mortal realm," Jareth continued for his father, "He's not on your radar either." Jareth stood up, "He is however on mine," he withdrew a crystal from the air, stared into it and saw his boy, kicking and screaming. "One almost has to pity Woodbine," he mused.

"Almost," the High King agreed.

Tossing the crystal back into the air, Jareth squared his shoulders, "I must tell Sarah," he said resolutely, "She must be worried."

"Are you sure you want to tell her," Questioned the amused High King.

"Want to~ no," sighed the younger King. "Have to~ yes." Waving a hand he vanished.

Oberon remained in the spot for a moment longer, "Woodbine," he called out. "Where the duces are you?"

"Still at your palace sire," the ghostly answer came. "I know better than to enter the Labyrinth uninvited. I am not a fool."

"No," agreed the High King, "You only raised one." With a flick of his wrist he was gone.

--

Ridge was sitting quietly at the waterfall garden of the High King's palace, knowing Oberon would come to him. It had been far too long since he's had the pleasure of walking Fairy Lands, to take in the unique beauty and fragrances of the rare blooms the Fae Royals favored in their gardens. He had spent a good deal of time in the High King's company and knew this waterfall estuary well. His departure from the High King's grace had pained him, for he'd always valued the opinion of the High King, and curried his favor. If only the Queen had not gotten it into her head that he'd make the perfect match for her sister. The thought of the Fae woman the Queen had picked out for him sent a shiver through him as memory after memory flooded his mind.

Oberon arrive in time to witness the shiver and the contemplation on the face of the other. "Regrets," he asked approaching the man.

"A few," Ridge answered without looking toward his once friend. "I'll not lie to you, yes, I have a few." He turned to look at the waterfall. "We were once friends," he murmured. "I valued that~ friendship."

"As did I," Oberon stated coolly.

Ridge turned to him, saddened and disturbed. "Then why couldn't you understand why I didn't wish to be with that woman?"

"Is that what you think caused our severed friendship," asked the amazed High King. "You think that I would end years of friendship over a woman?"

"What then?"

"You defied me," Oberon accused icily. "You were requested to court and refused to come…"

"I only declined the marriage," defended the other. "I never received a summons to court."

"Of course you did," Oberon glowered.

"No," Ridge repeated, "I didn't…surly you know me well enough old friend to know I'd never insult you in such a way…" His voice was filled with honesty and frankness, and the tone was more than forthcoming. He reached out a hand toward the king, open and palm up, a gesture of friendship. "Oberon, I thought of you not only as my King but as my friend… my dearest friend. I would never refuse your command to come to court."

Perplexed and mystified the bewildered King stared at Ridge Woodbine, "You're telling me you never received the summons…"

"I assure you, I never received a summons," he pulled an object from his inner vest, "I did however receive a dismissal." He handed the object to the High King.

Oberon turned the object over his hand and inspected it, it was a Rowan coin, carved and used for one purpose to send a Fae away. "Who sent this to you," Oberon asked puzzled by it.

"You did," Ridge answered with deep remorse; "The day after I declined the offer of the Queen's sister."

Oberon's hand closed over the coin, "I never sent this to you…."

--

Sarah paced the throne room, some goblins had remained and they tried to cheer her, but to no avail. She was inconsolable, something had happened to Toby, and she was at fault. So wrapped up in her own misery was she that she didn't even see the Goblin King enter the chamber.

"Sarah," he called to her softly.

She turned looked at his face and ran to his arms, her face buried into his chest, "Oh Jareth, it's all my fault." She moaned.

"Hush my precious," he soothed, "Hush."

The girl sobbed, "You know it's true."

Arms wound about her to comfort her, "All I know is that some fool has broken anchient law…" He gently tipped her chin up. "No runner is to be interfered with."

"You interfered with me," she challenged.

"Ah yes, well I should have said no outsider is to interfere with a runner… they are under the protection of the Labyrinth."

"Do you know who took Toby," she asked.

"I do," he answered. "You're not going to like it one bit…"

Sarah looked at him and asked, "Who?"

"Jefferson Davis Daniels, the son of Lord Ridge Woodbine, and I suppose his heir." Jareth answered.

The girl went ridged, "You're telling me my intended groom swooped down and kidnapped my little brother while he was running the Labyrinth?" her voice rose several octaves. "You're telling me that Jeff is a Fae?"

"Not entirely," Jareth winced as her voice hurt his ears, "He's only a Halfling."

"You're telling me he's Fae blooded!" Sarah shouted.

Sniffing and pulling back slightly, Jareth braced himself. "More or less…."

Sarah Williams than did something she'd not done in years, she pitched a tantrum.

--

Spiderhat looked at Poky, "She screams pretty," he commented before picking up his clothe and returning to cleaning the hearth.

Blot and Inkspot looked at one another and backed slowly toward the exit, sure that the scream was not going to be the end of it.

Gree and Grim covered their ears and winced.

The screaming and words kept coming.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9.**_

__Jareth did not try to stop the torrent of words flowing from Sarah's lips. Nor did he try to impede the girl's movement; he understood her necessity to be able to transfer the anger into kinetic energy. Had she not left the Labyrinth those years ago she would be pitching a fit with Fae powers. As it was he could see the faint blue snaps of electric sparks flicker here and there as the first wave of anger finished, "Feel better dear," he asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Green eyes flashed as they focused on him, "How long have you known?"

"I have only just come into this information," Jareth answered defensively.

Sarah was not certain she could or should believe the arrogant Goblin King. Her eyes narrowed as her glare deepened. "Why should I take your word for that, you've been known to lie to me before this."

Mismatched blue stormy eyes hardened, "Misleading a runner is well within my rights." He informed her with a hard edge entering his tone. "Allowing some other Fae to become your suitor, no Madame that I would never do;" Turning his back on her he moved toward the throne. "There is much you don't know of our ilk, for all your reading and playacting."

Drawing in a deep cleansing breath, Sarah followed the man toward the seat of power. "Enlighten me," she requested in a slightly demanding timbre.

Jareth turned, his eyes raked over her possessively. "You were always a fetching female Sarah," his voice had dropped an octave; it sounded dangerous and sexually enticing. "One who's charms caused me to threaten a dipping in the bog to a certain subject who was a little too close to you for comfort…" He saw the surprise in her eyes for an instant after his admission. "Sarah, think, did I allow any other person to dance with you in the Crystal Ballroom?" She shook her head no, "There was a reason you know," He informed her with forceful inflection. "You belong to me and to me alone, Madame…" He glowered, "The idea that I would sanction some Fae fellow to come into your life and romance you away from me…is ludicrous!"

She had heard the words, and more than an admonishment, they were a declaration of his desire for her. Sarah smiled as she answered, "I stand corrected."

Jareth was taken aback by the smile, "This pleases you?"

"Very much so," Sarah admitted with a faint blush gracing her cheeks.

Leaning back in the throne, he regarded her with expressive eyes, "Why," he asked quietly.

"It's rather perverse, but…" she shrugged.

"Never doubt my desire for you Sarah," Jareth said as his eyelids lowered to slits, "Never."

At a snail's pace the young woman in the long green form fitted gown moved toward the throne, "What do we do about Jefferson holding Toby?"

"We," the Goblin King inquired teasingly, "Are you planning on taking part in whatever I do in retaliation?"

She placed a manicured hand to his sleeve, "Don't you think I have a stake in this," she asked.

Jareth contemplated the correct response to the query, "Of course," he nodded; "However the culprit is your… intended groom." He reminded softly.

Sarah sighed, "Can we get past that," she asked.

"In time, with motivation," Jareth replied coolly. "Still…"

"Toby did me a favor by wishing me away," Sarah stated flatly. "Now let's return the favor by getting him back from Jeff." She heard the snickers of goblins, "See even your subjects agree with me."

"As do I, my dear, as do I." The King smirked. "I've got scouts out, sent them out as soon as I had received word who has our boy…" invitingly he patted the wide seat of his throne, "Soon as they know where this Halfling is hold up, we'll make our plans."

Sarah moved to join the king on his throne, "You can't just find Jeff?" she asked.

"Not as simple as that," Jareth sighed, "He's a Halfling, brought up in the mortal realm and not under the authority of the High Courts, as most Fae are."

"I don't understand," she sighed, "He's in the Labyrinth, can't you just wish up a crystal and locate him?"

"He is and he isn't in the Labyrinth…" Jareth reasoned, "Even my Labyrinth was not prepared for his arrival." One hand snaked to her waist, "He's an anomaly."

Sarah looked down at the hand now possessively placed, "He's not the only one," she mused.

"Get use to my touch woman," Jareth advised, "I intend to be a very demonstrative spouse."

"Spouse?" She repeated.

"Sarah, I courted you before my entire Kingdom… I allowed you to go on with the games even after I more or less tricked you into losing…"

"I didn't lose," she balked.

"From the moment you ate of the peach…" he began.

"You tricked me!" she argued, "Isn't that cheating?"

"I'm allowed to use whatever means I have," he replied. "I'm the King."

"You're a cheat," she squabbled.

The Goblin King smiled, "And you're a spoiled little brat," he teased, "However, you're my little brat, and I'll never let you go."

Sarah smiled dangerously, "Is that a promise or a threat?"

"A bit of both," Jareth conceded.

Once more the girl placed her head to the King's shoulder, "You could have at least let me know of your intentions…"

"I thought I made it crystal clear," pulling her closer, Jareth placed his lips to her brow. "You were so young, so damned innocent…"

Sarah's eyes closed, "And now?"

The Goblin King held still for a moment, "Now we can proceed…" one hand had moved to her chin, he gently applied pressure to tilt it upward, "Do you accept me?" he asked fervently.

Gazing at him, seeing the same magical handsome being that had invaded the nursery, feeling the same rush of adrenalin, and fire in her veins, Sarah gasped, "Yes…"

Dipping his head, Jareth captured her lips, Sarah's lips quivered beneath his. A moment later he ended the kiss and looked at her, "You shall be my queen," he whispered; "And the mother of my children."

"Yes," she nodded in quiet agreement, as one hand rose to caress his chin. "Yes." Drawing a deep breath, she added, "Once Toby is safe."

"Toby is already safe," Jareth winked, "its Jefferson who is in grave danger."

--

"Let me outta here you jerk!" Toby bellowed from the oversized canary cage that hung suspended in mid air as if held by a hook.

Jefferson paced, ignoring the pleas and bellowing of the bothersome child. "Silence," he warned harshly.

Holding the bars of the strange prison, the little boy snarled, "You can't tell me what to do!"

Jefferson tapped his chin, trying to recall all the stories his father had told him over the years of Fae, and Fae kingdoms. He could not recall one instance of a mention of the Labyrinth. He had not contemplated what exactly he was going to do, nor did he truly understand what he had done. But he knew enough to create a buffer zone between himself and the Labyrinth. He was holding the boy hostage in a space within a space. A bubble as it was; that was floating above the Labyrinth. Therefore the child had not been truly removed from it, only deterred. The sphere was wide enough and tall enough for the man to pace about ten feet and not run into the cage which held his captive. "Be silent," he warned again, "I have to think."

"You should have done that before you kidnapped me," warned the howling mad little boy. "When the Goblin King finds you…."

"OH like I'm worried about him," Jefferson sneered. "He wants you; he can have you… as long as I get Sarah in return."

"What makes you think she'll want to be returned to you?" Toby jeered.

Jefferson glared at the child, "Of course she wants to be returned to me, she's my bride to be."

Seeing he'd hit a nerve, Toby took it one step further, "This isn't the first time she's been with _**him **_you know…" Jefferson stared at him, "Oh no, she spent time with him before…"

"You're the one who wished her away," Jefferson argued.

"What makes you think she didn't want to be wished away?" Toby leaned forward on the cage holding him. "Maybe it was all a prearranged plan."

Jefferson's jaw locked, "That's not possible."

Toby gave him a hawkish sneer, "Isn't it?" Something in his mind had kicked in, and the words pouring out of his mouth were far more mature than his tender years, but Jefferson was too upset to notice. "I don't see her trying to escape him, do you?"

A churching sound accompanied the grinding of the young lawyers teeth, "She's a prisoner, much like you."

"You can tell yourself that if you like," Toby teased in a bratty tone, "But I'll bet she's making googoo eyes and kissy face right now."

The idea of Sarah with any man other than himself was ludicrous to the avenging groom, "Why on earth should she prefer him to me," he argued. "I'm handsome, I'm powerful, and I'm rich!"

"He's smart, he's handsome and he's the man she's always dreamed of," Toby replied in a singsong manner. "She used to write his name and hers side by side, and then hide it…" he tattled.

"That's a lie," Jefferson bellowed. "Sarah isn't so silly."

"Isn't she," Toby rocked back and forth taunting his captor. "She used to draw his picture…"

"I don't believe a word of this," the man turned his back on the child, but the damages to his ego were done, and he suspected there was a measure of truth to the child's rants. Sarah had never been overly affectionate, not that he'd ever cared. His interest in her was purely from the stand point that she gave the right impressions. She looked the part of the wife of an up and coming political newcomer. But she had never seemed all that interested in Jefferson himself, and he was beginning to wonder why. Could it be that she'd had some kind of clandestine relations with the Fae King? Could she have been carrying on a torrid affair under his very nose? Had he been so obsessed with his own agenda that he'd overlooked Sarah's lack of passion for him? Was it possible, could she have been~ cuckolding him? "That ungrateful bitch," he muttered darkly. "After all I've done to rise her up…"

Toby smiled at the back of the man who was no longer pacing but was clenching his fists. "I'll bet she's laughing at you and your stupid objectives with the Goblin King right now."

A sharp look over his shoulder at the boy gave Jefferson's anxiety and uneasiness away, "I told you to be quiet," he growled.

--

Firefly Globstamer and his brother Porkuspie were the first to spot the unusual orb that floated above the old trail. "What's that," he asked the other goblin.

Porkuspie shrugged, "It looks like a bubble," he answered, "But look, there's people inside it."

Firefly ducked down, making himself small and unseen, Porkuspie followed suit. "We need to warn the King," he said in a small frightened voice. "Find one of the pixies."

Moments later a small creature dressed in knots and tatters crept toward the pair, "What do you want," it demanded.

Firefly pointed to the sphere, "Tell the king," he commanded. "We're being invaded."

Crabapple, the pixie frowned, "That's the king's boy… and the Halfling." He scratched his bald head, "How'd he figure out how to do that?"

"Halfling," gasped the Globstamer brothers.

The old pixie nodded, "You two knot heads not been paying attention?"

Firefly, the elder of the two blinked; "We been gathering herbs for the crone of the woods."

Crabapple made a face, then pointed to the caged child within the floating orb, "The King's chosen heir wished the Sarah away… she's with the king now. Little scamp then demanded to run the Labyrinth."

"Who's that with the heir?" Porkuspie asked with a grim expression.

"The groom the King's Sarah was about to marry," Crabapple giggled. Firefly and his brother exchanged puzzled glances, and the old pixie continued. "She didn't know she was spoken for."

"What do we do," Porkuspie looked at the stationary bubble.

"Watch it," Crabapple ordered the pair. "I'll tell the king that the pair have been found." He moved to a tree knot and disappeared.

Firefly hunkered down, "The Sarah and the King," he said in a soft whispered.

"Makes you believe in fairytales," agreed Porkuspie dreamily.

--

Taking his eyes off his precious Sarah, Jareth glanced about the throne room, "It is an improvement," he praised her efforts with the cleaning. "I fear I more or less gave up."

"I think that's a guy thing," Sarah snuggled into the crook of his shoulder. "Sometimes it just takes a woman's touch…"

"Or her bellowing," teased the happy king.

Blushing slightly Sarah giggled at the good natured tease, "Why couldn't you have been like this the first time," she asked.

"You were too young," he commented, "I broke rules just by tricking you into eating the peach." His grip on her tightened slightly. "And I'd do it all over again."

A throat clearing altered the couple they were no longer alone. "Excuse the intrusions," Crabapple bowed, "But the intruder has been located."

"Is Toby with him?" Sarah asked.

Jareth looked at her disdainfully, cleared his own throat to warn the young woman to restrain herself. "Kindly report," he instructed the elderly pixie.

Crabapple gave the girl a faint smile; he understood she was not use to the protocol of the goblin court. "The Globstamer brothers were in the western woods gathering herbs for the crone who employs them," the elderly creature moved closer. "They spotted the pair in a spherical energy bubble… the Halfling knew enough to stay off Labyrinth soil."

"Within and without," agreed the King, "Clever."

"Very," Crabapple's head bobbed up and down, "I have the Globstamers watching."

"Don't interfere," warned the King, "Let's see how much rope the Halfling needs."

"I think I should tell you," the old one cackled, "it appears the Heir is taunting and tormenting his captor…" He pulled on the long hairs on his chin, "The boy did not appear to be fearful or worried; I can't say that for the Halfling."

Fascinated by the tidbit of information, Jareth leaned forward, "Any ideas as to what the child is using as bait?"

The old pixie slyly smiled as he turned to look at the young woman in the King's half embrace. "OH I think you can form your own conclusion on that, Sire."

Sarah's breath caught in her throat, "Me," she asked in surprise, "He's using me?"

"Us," Jareth corrected delicately, "He's using… _**us**_."

"But he doesn't know about us," Sarah augured in an urgent whisper.

"Of course he does," Jareth disagreed.

"No," Sarah shook her head adamantly. "I never told him… I never told anyone!"

Mismatched eyes turned to look at her with amusement, "You didn't have to," he teased. "My scent clings to you… and my heir knows it."

"But he didn't know he was your heir!" Sarah continued. Both King and pixie were not snickering. "How could he?"

Forebodingly Jareth purred in the back of his throat, "Let's just say a little bird told him so." Sarah stared back, mouth agape and stammering for a reply. It never quite made it over her trembling lips. The Goblin King turned his attentions back to the Pixie, "Keep me informed."

Grandly the pixie bowed, "As you wish."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10.**_

Sarah inched her way to the far side of the throne, needing room to face the King who was all too close for her to think straight. "Jareth," she said quietly, "You said that Toby knew~ I take it he also knew the right words to say…"

Hearing the slight alarm in her voice, the Goblin King nodded with a cryptical smile. "Indeed."

"And you've said no Fae male…" Sarah made a circular motion with her index finger, "Am I to understand you programmed my little brother to interfere in any union I was planning?"

Lounging back, his arm swept over the top rail of his throne, it was a very powerful picture he was painting. "Sarah Williams," he addressed her formally. "I would never allow any man, mortal or Fae to interfere in our ongoing battle of the sexes."

Her lips formed a thin straight line, "I see…" she crossed her arms akimbo over her bosom, "The fact that I've not heard a peep out of you for five years not withstanding?"

Now it was his turn to give her a grim and somewhat arrogant gaze, "Did you in that five years ever once call out to me?"

It was a tactic she'd not expected, and it shook her confidence. "No," she admitted quietly.

"No," he reached out the hand that was not draped over the top of the throne; his leather clad fingers caressed her chin. "I may have been silent, I may have been unobtrusive, but never think I was not aware of your comings and goings."

"You were watching me," she gasped; "The whole time?"

"Of course," he answered with haughty delight. "What did you expect?"

Sarah closed her eyes thinking blocking him from her view would keep her mind clear, she was wrong. "So you are aware of every…"

"Every," he repeated knowingly.

Green eyes opened and looked into the mismatched stormy eyes of the King. "I'm not sure I like that."

"Spilt milk," he suggested coldly. "Believe me I can tell you that watching my intended play kissy face with little school boys, is not at all pleasant."

Sarah remembered her school boy beaus, and their fumbling and her narrow escapes. "I was not your intended," she managed to get out with a little dignity.

"Of course you were, and are," he made his case as his fingers trailed down her long swanlike throat. "The fact that you were not made aware of this has nothing to do with the facts."

"Did you plan on swooping down upon me no matter whom I was going to marry," she accused, trying to sound agitated.

"Of course," He acknowledged pleasantly, resting his thumb in the hollow of her throat, feeling her quickened pulse. "Sarah darling, you didn't really expect me to allow anyone besides myself to enjoy your~ charms, now did you?" His voice sounded lazy, and enticing, and like a long dark purr. "While I was disposed to give you some latitude of space during your maturing, I draw the line at anyone besides myself sharing your~ bed."

"You kept me a virgin!" she accused harshly.

"My bride has to be~ innocent, unknowing and unknown," he explained calmly. "I did us both a favor."

Pulling free of his contact she stammered, "That's… that's… _Machiavellian!" She moved swiftly to put space between her and the King, "No; make that Draconian!"_

Snickering, Jareth allowed his head to lull back until it rested on the curved ivory behind him. "One cannot argue with success, can one?" Feral, and all too pleased, he watched her with eyes going to slits like a creature of the wild night. "You know I'm right."

Sarah turned her back to him, her only means of defense. "You're unbelievable."

"I'm possessive," he corrected not moving from his comfortable position on the throne. "It is an advantage to my benefit that I can back up my claims to you," he teased. "In time you'll appreciate that I am possessive."

"Don't hold your breath," she muttered tapping her toe angrily.

"Sarah," his voice was like a caress, "Do you truly feel you've missed out by not acting promiscuously? Handing out your favors to every Tom, Dick and Harry?"

His arguments were too logical for her, "That's not the point," she said over her shoulder. "And don't talk about it like that, you make it sound tawdry."

"Come here," he invited with a sly smile.

"Not on your life," she shook her head.

"Come here," he purred.

"No," she said finding resisting his invitation more problematic than she's anticipated.

"Come~ here~" he crooned, delighting in causing her to blush. "Beloved." Dramatically, he extended a gloved a hand toward her. This time the girl responded; not as quickly nor as enthusiastically as he'd have preferred; however she did comply with his request. "Sarah, I promise you the rewards of me keeping you virtuous will be worth the inconvenience." His hand closed about her fingers soothingly as her captured hand was brought to his lips.

"Oh, I'm so holding you to that," she promised with darkness of her own.

--

"Walk with me," Oberon directed his once friend and companion. "There are too many words to be spoken."

Bowing slightly the elder Woodbine kept pace with his once sovereign; "Sire, I am willing to speak to you on any subject you deem reasonable."

"Our sons," Oberon reasoned, "Are bound to knock heads together, like rams over a she-goat."

Having met Sarah the displaced Fae Lord was amused, "You've not encountered Miss Williams have you?"

"I've not had the pleasure, no." Oberon paused before glancing at his amused companion. "Am I missing something here?"

"Indeed," mused Woodbine, "The young lady is~ unique."

Interest peaked; Oberon paused and inquired, "In what way?" His voice dropped an octave as he spoke, "How is she unique?" His eyes swept sideways to insure they were alone. "How can a mortal be so captivating?"

"Surely you recall your own fascinate with the female of the species," Ridge murmured suggestively.

"I've not strayed for a very long time," Oberon retorted defensively. "So enlighten me, edify me."

Ridge sighed with a wistful smile, "She's a bewitchingly lovely creature, eyes like emeralds with sapphire high lights, skin like silky milkweed cream, and hair that is the shade of a fresh roasted chestnut…. Her very essence is tangy and invitingly enchanting. But I think it's that pure soul she carries that makes her a true treasure," Ridge murmured. "Sarah believes, in a world that has long forgotten the unseen."

"That explains my son's interest…" agreed the High King.

"It may be more than a matter of interest on your son's part," warned Ridge with a raised hand. "I've suspected that she was~ Fae touched for a lack of a better term." He recollected the first time Jefferson had presented Sarah to the elder Daniels. "I warned my son when he introduced her to us that she was not an ordinary girl."

"He must love her very much," Oberon offered sounding consolatory.

Sadness filled the handsome man's eyes as he spoke to his friend, "No, what Jefferson feels is not love, nor passion, nor even devotion. I fear my son is so swept up in his own importance that all he saw in Miss Williams was a picture perfect Politian's wife." Shrugging the elder Woodbine sighed deeply. "I fear my son is as spoiled as most favored sons are. He has always gotten just what he wanted just when he wanted it. I'm not sure how he enticed poor Sarah into this marriage business… the girl never seemed too impressed by him."

"Not impressed," the High King mused, "From what I saw of you son he cuts a rather dashing figure, and must be very sought after among mortals."

"He's handsome," agreed Jefferson's father, "Sarah always seemed polite, yet reserved. Unlike so many of the young women of the mortal world, she holds to her virtues. She does not give her favor lightly, nor frivolously or without due consideration. Now I see why," he smiled wistfully. "Her favor was spoken for, even if she was not fully conscious of it."

Oberon, nodding, turned back toward the path. "I have no real awareness of the girl. I was only told by a visitor of some of the antics that take place in my son's court. I try not to interfere where the Goblins are concerned. They seem to like my son, they don't object to his rule, so~"

"Understandable," Ridge agreed, "They were always a problematic race, as I recall." He looked at the peaceful surroundings, "I've missed this place," he confessed quietly.

"Has your time in the mortal realm been difficult?" inquired the High King.

Ridge snickered, "No, not difficult." He shrugged once more, "I've been very fortunate, I used my talents and created a commodity that the mortal realm desires. And I've been prosperous and privileged, my life has not lacked. I married a lovely woman, one who is devoted to me and gives me more peace than I thought was possible." His face saddened again, "But the mortal realm is not the Fairylands…. Nor do we have gardens with the sweet enchantments that you have in abundance here."

"You've considered yourself an exile," Oberon observed with candor, "For that I am sorry."

"To my knowledge that is what I was, an exile." Ridge agreed. "One who was Fae, but no longer acceptable to Fae company and therefore banish from the shores of my own homeland." Placing a hand on his friend's arm he continued. "But I would not have you pity me, my lord…for in the mortal realm I did find love, and success, and peace."

"I should like to be acquainted with your wife," Oberon said softly. "She sounds like a magnificent woman."

"My wife is one in a million," Ridge agreed. "And she knows~"

"Knows," Oberon allowed one elegant brow to climb upward.

"One does not keep a secret like this from a spouse when she is suffering very strange traumas that are out of the ordinary during a pregnancy." Ridge chuckled gently.

Oberon chuckled as well, "I imagine not."

--

Hoggle, watched as pixies and brownies and other small Fae creatures began to scurry down the paths. He knew they were up to something, and had he a spray can with him he'd do something about it. However as his mixture of stun potion was back at the gate of the Labyrinth he decided to investigate instead. They were never very careful about covering a trail, and that made them almost too easy to follow. Hoggle spotted the pair of goblins watching something over the rise; he looked up to find himself staring at a sphere. While it was not crystal like the one's the Goblin King was known to make, it was most assuredly Fae produced. Hoggle crouched down with the gathering crowd and observed.

Porkuspie looked over at Hoggle and gave him a nod, "Hoggle," he greeted him quietly.

"When did this happen," Hoggle asked pointing at the sphere.

Firefly shrugged, "Not long."

Observing the pair in the bubble, Hoggle groaned, "The boy looks like our King," he shook his head. "And that one," he pointed to the man. "Don't look too happy about it."

--

Toby snickered as the man railed at him, "Yeah, I'll bet she and the King are laughing at you right now, you jerk."

The bubble began to shake and the field that held it in place wavered. "Silence you foolish child!" bellowed the man, "For the life of me, I don't know why she's so devoted to you, you brat!"

Toby fell back and laughed, "You think I'm a brat," he giggled. "You should have seen Sarah!" the child was far too relaxed. "Who do you think started all this?"

Jefferson clenched his fists, looked at the crumbling walls of his force field, "Once I have her away from your family she'll mend her ways…" his haughty tone was not lost on the child.

Like a caged tiger the child crouched and glared with eyes that began to glow like stormy seas. "You've no idea of what you're suggesting," he glowered. "Sarah is not complacent, Sarah has the heart and soul of a warrior… and you just want her because she looks like eye candy."

Jefferson didn't deny the accusation, instead he laughed at the caged boy.

--

Hoggle turned to the goblin crouched beside him, "That was a mistake," he whispered.

"Yeah, I think so too." Firefly agreed.

Porkuspie nudged the pixie beside him, "What's the odds the kid takes the fool out?"

The pixie snickered, "Even but give it a few moments… should go up." Crabapple took out the diminutive but very complicated mathematics string he carried. "What do you wish me to put you down for?"

Porkuspie handed the pixie a small purse filled with coins. "ON the kid," he said cunningly.

Hoggle, watching the exchange handed a small garnet ring toward the pixie, "On the boy."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11.**_

Woodbine removed a framed portrait from his vest pocket, "My wife," he said handing the frame to his Sovereign.

Oberon looked at the picture and instantly understood his friend's attraction. "She's lovely," he observed.

"In face, mind and soul…" Ridge placed the portrait back in his pocket over his heart. "She has the best heart."

"And you told her," Oberon pursued the subject somewhat amused, somewhat astonished.

Ridge chuckled softly, "I wanted no secrets betwixt us."

Oberon laughed softly, "Astounding," he managed to say.

"She's unique," Ridge praised his spouse. "A truly sweet and honest woman, unlike~" his voice trailed off.

Oberon nodded, "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you, Sire."

--

Jefferson didn't deny the accusation, instead he laughed at the caged boy. It was utterly true; he did see Sarah Williams as eye candy. Her exotic beauty, her fairly intelligent mind, and her way of charming one and all made her an asset. "Your sister is eye candy," he gloated, "She's a fashion plate with a bit of a brain… it's what makes her worth anything to me. I could have had any number of pretty girls… some even more beautiful than you sister… but few have her way of charming all who meet her. Yes, she's eye candy…" he scoffed harshly; "But a Warrior? Don't fool yourself; she's just an ordinary girl."

--

Porkuspie looked at Hoggle, "OH he does not know the Sarah!"

Hoggle smiled, knowing they did.

--

The burst of anger dissipated, Toby released the bars in his hands, pursed his lips and began to hum that madding tune again. He turned his back to his perspective in law and found he had to dance; he could not keep his feet from moving. Each movement seemed to bolster his mood, and soon he was grinning fiendishly. The cage didn't afford a great deal of movement and yet he seemed to feel as free as a bird on the wing.

Jefferson glared at the child in the cage, "Foolish child," he turned his back on the vision of the cavorting youth. "Sarah will be far better off with me; you've made her practically a slave to you."

Cockily the boy now facing the backside of his captor smiled, "You have no understanding of devotion." His stance was now of the one in power, and he crossed his arms triumphantly over his chest. "Sarah and I share something you'll never have with her…"

Jefferson looked over his shoulder at the child with a hateful expression, "And what would that be? Your history?"

Toby's reaction was one of pity, "Oh there's that to be sure… and a bloodline, but we share something else," he smiled.

Turing, the man moved closer, "Such as?"

"We've both been to the castle at the center of the Goblin City… at the same time," winking at the man in formal dress he chuckled. "And we are both under the protection of the Goblin King…"

"Protection," scoffed the groom. "It does not seem to have helped you! Or has it escaped your notice you're in a cage?"

Toby lazily leaned forward on the bars, "Perhaps that's because I wish to be."

Jefferson wondered if there was a history of mental illness in the Williams family that he had not been aware of. He frowned, making a note to have Sarah evaluated as soon as he had her under his thumb.

--

Sarah looked out the window, wondering where in the Labyrinth her brother could be. She rested her chin on her hands as she leaned on the sill. Jareth was discussing something with a goblin and she didn't want to seem like she was eavesdropping. The Goblin King was nodding and looked over her direction, as if he knew by instinct that she was watching. He said something to the goblin that laughed, slapped the king's boot happily and ran off. Sarah felt the warmth of color flood her checks and turned to look away but not before she observed the king moving toward her.

"A penny," he said charmingly.

"A penny," she repeated quizzically.

Stormy eyes gazed into hers with an intense hunger, "For your thoughts," his arm went gracefully to the sill and he leaned casually.

"Oh," she replied before turning to look out the window once more.

"Tell me about this wedding that didn't take place," he coaxed.

Sarah looked at him with a confused expression, "Why would you want to know about that?"

A wicked grin spread, "To be sure I don't make the same mistakes of my predecessor," he teased.

Sarah giggle and blushed, "Jareth, don't be silly, Jefferson is not your predecessor."

"I'm serious," he cupped her face with one hand. "You said you didn't pick that monstrosity of a dress.. Or the groom…" He brushed her lips with his. "Tell me about it."

"You're distracting me," she murmured. "Why?"

The Goblin King smiled softly, "We have a few moments before we'll be getting company." He said gently. "I want to know what would please you… since this wedding didn't."

"How could it please me," she whispered painfully. "None of it was right… and only Karen seemed to see that…"

Knowing her history with her stepmother the King sighed, "So again you learn that not everything is as it seems?"

Sarah sighed, "Something like that," she looked out the window once more. "It's funny, some girls would have been thrilled with the wedding, no make that most girls would… but it left me feeling cold and isolated."

"I will make sure ours does not," Jareth promised gently. "I want our marriage to be just that… a marriage… a true partnership from the beginning." He kissed her hair, and breathed in the sweet scent. "Tell me what kind of wedding would have pleased you."

"Something more~ intimate," she mused. "A nice small at home wedding, just family and closest friends… no political statement…" her eyes saddened, "You're a king, that's even more political than a man wanting to be senator."

Jareth nodded slowly, "True," he agreed. "However I think I can arrange a private marriage ceremony with just family, and a state ceremony later, would that please you?"

Sarah looked at him, "Very much," she nodded, "But Jareth part of my family is on the other side… in the Above. How do you intend to bring them to the Underground?"

"I don't," he answered honestly.

Sarah blinked, "But you just said…"

Long fingers clad in leather silenced her trembling lips. "Trust to me Sarah, can you do that?" She looked at his hand, then into his eyes, and nodded. Jareth's hand moved from her lips to the back of her neck in a natural motion. "I will make sure you don't feel left out, or isolated." He promised with eyes full of hunger. "I promise."

Sarah blushed and smiled, "Thank you." She turned her gaze again to the Labyrinth, "So whom are we expecting, Sire?"

His hand at her neck, he too looked out the window, contented with his lot in life. "Any moment now the High King and the father of your… groom." He said quietly, when the girl stiffened slightly his thumb brushed against her throat soothingly. "You're home now Sarah and I will never again allow you to be parted from me." He crooned to her in a tone that was more than possessive, it was almost erotic.

Sarah looked sideways at the man at her side, "Home?"

His eyes narrowed, down to tapered slits revealing only the dark centers of his stormy eyes. "Home," he murmured dark and suggestively. Jareth had waited a long time for moments like this, several human lifetimes in fact. He had waited not always patiently for the arrival of his Queen. However at this moment, his hand on her throat, feeling her pulse race at his suggestive manner of speaking to her, he knew it had been worth the wait. Sarah Williams was no ordinary girl, no ordinary woman; she was something few on either side of the mists could claim. She was in all ways his equal, and soon she would be his crowned queen and his wife. "Pale jewels," he murmured, "So cruel…" his lips curled at the thought of what passion was hidden within this woman. Forgetting for a moment that he was expecting the arrival of the High King, he leaned toward her, intent on capturing her trembling lips beneath his. A throat clearing on the other side of the chamber halted his progress and sighing he turned his head toward the unannounced guests, "Hello… father." He said keeping his hand possessively at the throat of his companion.

Oberon observed the stance his son had taken with amusement, "Jareth," he nodded at the boy, ignoring his hand on the woman's throat. "This is Lord Ridge Woodbine, father of the man who has captured your little heir."

"Lord Woodbine, welcome to the Goblin Kingdom," the young King said graciously.

"I thank you," Ridge bowed deeply, respectfully to the younger man, and then looked at Sarah with gentle consideration. "Hello Sarah," he said softly.

"Mr. Woodbine," she said softly in reply.

"Lord Woodbine," Jareth corrected quite amused, before turning his attentions to the two Fae approaching. "What can we do for you gentlemen?"

Oberon tapped Jareth's hand and it released the girl, the High King placed fingers under Sarah's chin and looked at her face with scrutiny. "Yes, you are an unusual creature," he said after a moment. "I suppose you understand that you are the subject of some discussion."

"Indeed," Jareth's brow rose up into the hair on his forehead. "What discussion would that be Father?"

Sarah smiled at his possessiveness, finding it far more pleasing this time than when she'd been fifteen.

Oberon also smiled over at his son, "What I don't understand is why you didn't speak of this enchanting creature sooner…"

Reaching out his gloved hand, Jareth gently extracted his father's fingers from Sarah's chin, "Oh I'll just let you draw your own conclusions." More possessively he slipped his hand to the waist of the enchanting young woman who blushed slightly. Jareth placed his head on hers and smiled at his father and the other man.

Ridge pointed to the couple and retorted to his long time friend, "Your son has far more sense of just what a treasure she is… unlike that dolt I raised."

Sarah felt a sudden pang of guilt, "Mr. Woodbine," she whispered.

"Lord Woodbine," Jareth corrected again, this time he sounded impatient.

Sarah felt her jaw tighten but accepted the correction, "Lord Woodbine," she said after a moment of thought, "I will understand if you hold a grudge against me."

"I won't," Jareth said in a tone of disdain.

Ridge shook his head, "I told the boy when he began planning on making you his wife that you were not for him. I hold no grudge."

Jareth felt the woman relax, "May I offer you gents refreshment?" he asked as if it were perfectly normal for such guests to arrive.

"No," Oberon said firmly. "We've come to ask how you intend to gain back the personage of your heir and to see if we can intercede on the behalf of the …"

"I don't intend to do anything," Jareth said calmly, "I think Toby can handle Jefferson on his own." When both the High King and Lord Woodbine stared at him, the Goblin King chuckled. "Trust me, if the boy needs help it is in place."

"Which boy," Ridge asked thinking of his son with deep regrets.

"My boy," Jareth said possessively, "MY boy, my woman."

Ridge took a deep breath, "No mercy?"

On the verge of saying 'none', Jareth looked down at Sarah who was asking quietly with soft eyes for him to be temperate. "I'm not without mercy," Jareth conceded. "Should your son see the error of his way, and release the boy and forget this idea of picking up where he left off with Sarah…"

"That won't happen," Ridge said with pain. "Jefferson has never been… rejected before. It will not sit well with him."

"My condolences," Jareth said coldly.

"Jareth," Sarah whispered.

"Hush," he said gently to her, "Lord Woodbine, I can offer you little, but I will offer you hope."

"Hope, Goblin King?"

Jareth nodded, "I will not allow things to progress to where I need to extract a blood debt," he said firmly.

"I thank you for that," he looked once more at Sarah, seeing her peace he smiled. "I offer you my congratulations on your upcoming nuptials." He bent forward, took Sarah's hand into his and kissed the back of it. "Bless you my dear."

Oberon observed, and then said, "You will make a very good Queen," his voice was low in the back of his throat. "You've already shown yourself to be a good influence over my son."

"Thank you…" the young woman said quietly, "To both of you." She watched them leave. "That's it," she asked when she and Jareth were along once more.

"More or less," Jareth stated, "They will not interfere, this is my kingdom, and few Fae wish to have contact with the Goblins."

"Is Toby safe?" Sarah asked once more.

"Safer than Jefferson, I fear." Jareth looked toward the window, "The Labyrinth does not like being used as a tool against her heir…She grows restless…"

Sarah looked toward the window, "One could almost pity Jefferson."

"Almost," Jareth admitted before pulling her closer, "Time is almost up, my beloved."

Sarah looked to the hands of the clock in the King's throne room chamber, the great sword like hands had been moving and were now nearly at the thirteenth hour. "In twenty nine minutes…"

"You'll be mine," he gloated.

Sarah looked at him, dark lashes veiling her eyes, "I've always been yours."

"Precious thing," he breathed as he bent to kiss her. The moment their lips touched he felt the depths of the need they both shared. "Forever," he said as she allowed him to deepen the kiss.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12.**_

__Toby felt the winds of change, being a part of the fabric of the Labyrinth. Even the laughter and the taunts of the Halfling could not alter the balance of power. Instead of railing at the man who was his captor, Toby went very still and calm. He placed his hands behind his back, to address the man, letting the voice that was in his head guide his words. "Halfling," the word caused the man to cease his laughter. "Do you really believe that this foolish cage within a cage suspended in midair will protect you from the wrath of the Labyrinth?"

"I am not on Labyrinth soil," reasoned Jefferson. "There for Labyrinth has no power over me…"

"Wrong," the boys voice distorted altered and shifted. It was no longer that of a child, but of a creature that had no age, no sex, and no human body. "The air within my realm is part of my very breathe and you have violated the most sacred pact betwixt the Fae and me." The child's hand rose up, and a storm rose with it outside the bubble.

Huddled with the goblins Hoggle groaned, "Take cover!"

--

On the windswept hillside that overlooked the gates of the Labyrinth, two men stood. "It begins," Woodbine observed.

"It will not end well I fear," Oberon answered.

"These things seldom do," Ridge sighed, "I can only hope that there's enough of him left to take home to his mother."

"I am sorry," Oberon offered.

"It is not your fault," Ridge reasoned, "Anymore than my missing my summons before you was mine."

"I intend to get to the bottom of that," promised the High King.

"No," Ridge shook his head, "Do not rend your house asunder to avenge mine."

"Someone purposefully did this," Oberon protested.

"Someone," chuckled Ridge, "We both know it was the High Queen's sister."

Oberon had not allowed himself to even give that thought a moment in his mind. "You are certain?"

Ridge sighed, "She had the freedom of you place, she was above suspicion~" he paused. "The only other person would be your wife, and I don't for a moment think that the High Queen is that stupid, or arrogant."

"No," agreed the High King, "Proud, but not arrogant… that's my fault, not hers." He looked away from the storm. "I cannot allow her to go unpunished… to get away with this."

"What did she get away with," questioned the handsome Fae Lord. "Banishment was the making of me. I found my soul mate, and my love." He chuckled unexpectedly, "In fact I owe the good Queen's sister my thanks."

"That's twisted," Oberon chuckled as well.

"Indeed," Ridge sighed, "Indeed.

--

Jareth looked out the window, "Toby and the Labyrinth are beginning their… lesson." He kissed Sarah's temple. "I must go my love, before they get carried away."

"Stay safe," Sarah said softly.

"I will," he promised.

--

Jefferson addressed the creature that was speaking though the child, "Do you value this… boy?"

The storm silenced, "You know we do."

Thinking he had the upper hand Jefferson said boldly, "Tell your king and his captive to meet me at the windswept hill… outside your gates…. And we'll make a trade."

--

Sarah heard the voice of her one time groom as if he were in the same room with her. On the hillside both the Fae men heard the voice as well and the father shook his head. Jareth heard as he moved through the Course.

--

"Trade," glowered the creature, "You dare suggest that one life is not as important as the other?"

"I suggest your king took advantage of this boy," he pointed to the body hosting the voice and spirit. "I suggest he give me back my bride and he can have the boy."

"I cannot trade one for the other," Jareth said arriving in a shimmering cloud of glitter.

"You don't have to," Sarah said suddenly appearing at his side.

Jefferson's nostrils flared with fury, "Where's your gown," he demanded.

"I'll never wear that hideous thing again," Sarah said firmly.

Taking his eyes off the woman, Jefferson addressed the Goblin King. "Here's my offer, you give me back Sarah and you can have the boy." He sneered, "Refuse and I return to my world with the boy…now."

Sarah put herself between the King and the Halfling, "He means it…" her voice held panic, "That's certain death for Toby…" She shook her head, forbidding tears to fall. "I cannot allow that."

"Sarah," Jareth found it hard to speak.

Her finger tips touched his lips, halting whatever he would say, and silencing him. "You once offered me my dreams," she said gently. "Because of you, I lived them." She looked over her shoulder, "Let him have what he's asking for." Jareth closed his eyes and stepped back, Sarah turned to meet the face of the man who held her brother captive, "You may find, Jefferson, that having is not as pleasant as wanting." She moved to stand before him. "Release my brother." She commanded.

With a flick of his wrist the gage holding Toby flew across the space. Jareth made the cage disappear and he held the child. Thinking he might be tricked, Jefferson grabbed Sarah's wrist, with a strange sound they vanished. Jareth buried his face as he held Toby.

Oberon looked at Ridge, "We must…go."

Ridge nodded, "There's still a chance," he urged.

--

Jefferson returned them to the church; the guests were sill frozen in time. He looked at Sarah angrily, "That dress will never do," he bitterly complained. "You can't be married in that… thing."

"No," Sarah said as she took a staggering step away, "But I can be buried in it."

Looking at her with disdain the man asked, "What do you mean buried?"

Feeling the life force drain, as she knew it would, Sarah smiled. "I'm dying."

"Don't be silly," Jefferson objected stubornly, "You can't die… you're being married today…"

"No," Sarah said, her features were draining of color and her voice became ragged. It was hard now to breathe. "No Jefferson… I'm not being married, today you murdered me." She felt her knees go week and sunk to the cold stone floor of the church. "To save my brother this is such a little price to pay."

"Sarah," Jefferson knelt to hold her, to keep her from falling to the floor. "I'll get a doctor," he promised.

"There is no doctor," a voice harshly informed the young man. Standing over them was the High King of the Fae, "Give her to me you fool," he commanded, "Before she dies."

Confused Jefferson relinquished his hold allowing the High King to take the limp from him. "But why… why is she dying?"

Oberon breathed on the girl, her color improved but only slightly, "Because she is now of the fabric… and you removed her," he looked at the young arrogant man with contempt and scorn, "You were so quick to use the powers that you've inherited, but did little to learn about how actions have consequences." He turned to Ridge, "I leave his education to you." He looked about the church, "Clean up this mess."

"As you will My King," Ridge bowed as the High King of the Fae vanished with the seemingly dead girl cradled in his arms. When the pair was gone he turned to his son, "For one who is so dedicated to the law, you really don't understand it."

Jefferson looked at the congregation, frozen in time and then saw that Sarah's parents were fading as if in a dream. "Father," his voice wavered with fear. "What is happening?"

"Time is being reordered," he explained gently. "To before you sought to wed Sarah, and remixed to present."

"But Sarah and I…"

"There never was a Sarah and you," Ridge stated firmly. "Sarah was never yours." He placed a hand upon the shoulder of the confused Halfling. "Jefferson, I tried to tell you this before, but you refused to listen to me. When you first brought Sarah to meet your mother and I, didn't I tell you over and over that there was something about the girl?"

"I thought you meant she was special…" Jefferson argued.

"You thought what you wanted to think, like you always do." Ridge stated saddened by his son's lack of understanding. "I have tried over and over to educate you, to enlighten you to the burden you bear being the child of a Fae." One by one the wedding guests began to fade. "You were always intrigued by the power, but you didn't listen when I told you that power carries responsibility."

His face darkening Jefferson glared, "I'm listening now."

"I have given you the history of my people; I have told you over and over that when a Fae becomes enamored of a human that human is off limits to all other Fae creatures." Ridge sighed. "I tried to discourage your union with Sarah."

Jefferson shrugged, "I thought you were just being… snobbish."

Ridge chuckled, "Hardly," he moved about the area now almost devoid of guests, "I happen to be extremely fond of mortals," he looked at the peaceful gaze on his wife's face before she too vanished into thin air. "And you can thank your lucky stars that I am."

"Why can't I have Sarah," the young man blurted out impatiently. "She's perfect for me!"

Ridge turned to look coldly and soberly at the young Halfling. "You don't love her," he said frostily. "You only wished to possess her because she fits the shoes you thing belong to the wife of a politician."

"She does," Jefferson barked. "She's perfectly suited to me."

"No," Ridge disagreed without emotions. "She is not suited to you, and never was."

"Why," his son demanded his voice echoing in the empty church.

"Because my son," Ridge purred. "She's been touched, and once a mortal is touched by a Fae, they are bonded… a bond that even death cannot break." He sighed deeply, "Too bad this is a conversation you will not remember." He placed his hand to his son's face, at the temple. "Forget," he whispered softly, seductively. The Halfling also vanished, and Ridge was left alone in the empty and darkened church. "Gods and Goddesses," he prayed aloud, "Give me a chance to right this… to redirect that young man…" Slowly he too began to turn to vapor.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13.**_

___**Broken**_hearted and filled with more despair than he'd ever known was possible; Jareth clung to the boy in his arms. "Sarah," he whispered grief-strickenly. Toby sobbed into the shoulder that braced him, and had no words to vent. A great cry of lament seemed to go up from every corner of the Kingdom as well. Lost, lonely, and empty, the King of the Goblins carried the boy back toward the castle.

Nearing the grand gateway and the two heavy doors Jareth became aware of a portal opening. Placing the boy on his own feet, Jareth gazed at the shapes forming in the vortex. A man and a woman walking in a dazed state moved toward them. Toby looked up and cried out, "Mom, Pop!" he ran toward them and flung himself into his mother's open arms. Karen gazed at the King with confused but sympathetic eyes.

Confused Robert looked from his son to the being standing before him, "Who are you… where are we?"

Jareth found it difficult to speak, "This is the Labyrinth… and I am Jareth, King of the Goblins."

Karen's mouth dropped, "Like in Sarah's old book?"

The handsome but despondent King nodded, "Yes."

Robert moved forward, "Where's Sarah," he said in a desperate tone. "Where is my daughter?"

"Gone," Jareth's heart was breaking.

"No," Robert said in disbelieve.

Toby's face puckered, as if he were about to cry. "She gave her life… for mine." His father stared at him, then at the king. "It's true," Toby sobbed.

Jareth closed his eyes, "It was always true…" he placed a hand over his aching heart. "She gave up her dreams for the boy once, and this time… her very life…"

"But where is she?" Karen asked.

"A Halfling took her out of the Labyrinth…"Jareth said softly. "She exchanged herself for Toby."

"Jefferson," Toby told his parents, "He forced her to make that choice, knowing if he took me out of the Labyrinth I would die…"

Robert placed a hand to his head, his mind flooding with knowledge he'd long ago forced to the recesses of his memory. "Fae lands…" he muttered, and then grabbed his son. "You ate something here?"

"Long ago," Jareth supplied the answer. "I was not and am not in the practice of allowing children to go hungry or thirsty."

The father of the boy looked at the Fae King, sizing him up, "And Sarah?"

"An enchanted peach," Jareth admitted. "Her winning the game gave them a timed reprieve."

Law, Fae Law and mortal Law toppled in Robert's brain, and he was struck by the similarities and the differences. "You touched her," he questioned.

"Danced," corrected the lamenting King. "We danced."

Karen looked at her husband, her eyes demanding an explanation that words could not request. Robert looked at her and sighed, "According to folklore, fairy rings are magical circles in which witches and faeries and other beings of the fabric of magic meet to sing and dance at night. Fairies dance in circles and when a human is lured inside he or she can't escape unless they are pulled out of the circle by a human chain. Inside time is different and what seems like a couple minutes could actually be several days, months or even years."

"No escape," Karen asked breathily.

"None," Robert sighed, "It's a bonding process." He explained softly.

Karen's eyes narrowed the gaze of a mother tigress, "You trapped my daughter!"

"Worse," Jareth confessed, "I loved her."

Karen saw Robert pale, "How is it you know all this," she questioned as her arms tightened about her own child but she could feel something was amiss.

Robert took a long and deep breath, "My Nana," he said at last. "She came from a small town in the highlands… she told me the tales, as she told them to my mother… and they told them also to Sarah…." He looked at the King, "Sarah and Toby… are what…Fae touched?"

"Changelings," Jareth corrected. "Not according to what misinformation we allowed to pass on… but according to the custom of Kinth and Kinship." He looked at the wild eyed child in the grasp of the mortal mother. "I adopted the boy, and betrothed the girl."

--

Dark lashes over emerald green eyes fluttered, and air filled empty lungs with a sucking sound. Sarah Coughed as she bolted upward. Hands, strong and full of power steadied her, and she heard a voice urging her to breathe slowly. Her head was swimming and she felt nauseas, and her lungs burned in her chest. "Where am I," she gasped.

A face, handsome and oddly familiar smiled at her, "Don't you recognize this place?"

Looking about, forcing her eyes to focus she saw something she never thought to see again. A tree, long dead, with an odd old clock hanging precariously from its upper branches, "The windswept hillside," she muttered.

"The border lands," the man said gently, "The boundary of the Labyrinth and the Kingdom of the Goblins."

The fog in her mind cleared and she recognized the being sitting with her, "You're the High King," she stated. "What are we doing here?"

"I thought it best to give you time to collect yourself before returning you to the bosom of your family," Oberon quipped.

"My family?"

Nodding the High King spoke eloquently, "Your parents as well as your brother and espoused husband."

Breathing becoming easier Sarah grabbed his sleeve, "Toby is alright?"

"He's fine, your father is less than amused, and the woman… is furious…" he teased.

"Woman," Sarah blinked, "Karen?"

"Aye," Oberon rose up and held out a hand to help the girl to her feet, "That was her name. She is railing at both your father, and my son. She's blaming both of them…"

"She is," Sarah seemed amused. "Nice change," she quipped. "Usually I'm the one who gets the blame."

The High King of the Fae chuckled, a pleasant sounding chuckle as he too was amused. "We had best return you to your groom," he held his arm out to her, at Sarah's reluctance he added, "My Goblin King needs his Queen."

"Queen," she asked blinking in skepticism and hesitation, "How can I be a Queen… I'm not Fae born…"

"No," Agreed the High King with a smirk that mirrored smirks that she'd seen on Jareth's face. "But you are the only creature in creation that will make him complete." A wave of his hand and Sarah was transformed. The green gown that had suited her was exchanged for a long white gown in empire style and form. Netting of moonbeams and stars adorned it, and the long dark hair was dressed with sliver vines and leaves as it had been on the night she'd ventured into the Labyrinth for the first time. "Come Sarah Williams, accept your fate," he advised extending his arm anew.

Sarah looked at the gown, "How did you know," she asked amazed at the transformation, "I've dreamed of this gown over and over…"

"And from your dreams it has sprung," Oberon assured her. "Come, your groom awaits."

--

Jareth's pain suddenly ceased, his chest no longer hurt, he forgot for a moment the presence of the others, "Sarah," he said softly. A smile now appeared where sadness had been, he looked at Robert, "She comes…" he motioned to the gate. "I must prepare for her…"

Robert turned not seeing Jareth vanish, he looked at where goblins, trolls, and other strange creatures were gathering on the pathway. "Sarah," he asked softly seeing a vision on the arm of a stranger walking majestically toward them.

Oberon paused, before placing her hand on her father's arm, "I restore to you what was taken, but I fear she's only on loan…"

Robert looked as if he were about to cry, "I understand."

"I was sure you would," Oberon clasped a hand to Robert's shoulder, "We will be waiting," he promised.

Karen gripped Toby's shoulder and pulled him closer, "Robert can't we leave?"

Feeling the weight of two existences on his shoulders, the lawyer turned to his wife, "Not if we wish to stay with our children." He explained. "We've been given a choice, we can except citizen ship here… in this Fae kingdom… or we can return to our world… but Toby and Sarah would have to remain here… to live." He understood the law of the fabric far more than he cared to. "They cannot exist in our world any longer."

Her lips trembled, and her big blue eyes watered, but the woman to her credit didn't cry. "It doesn't look so bad," she said in a bold lie, "I can learn to live with it… as long as we have our family intact."

Sarah reached out a hand to her stepmother, "I promise you," she said in a voice that held more authority than she'd ever experienced, "We will always be together, now."

Karen's eyes cleared, a wistful smile came to her lips, "My daughter… the Queen."

The great heavy doors of the palace opened, and music filled the air. Robert took one arm of the bride, and Karen took the other. Toby moved before the three as they processed into the palace. The cheers of subjects rang out.

Hoggle stood watching, and turned to the little goblin at his side, "Ten to one she makes him change things."

"I'll take that bet!" the goblin cackled.

"I want a piece of that action!" another crowed.

--

_**Author's note:**_

_**This is where we leave this tale… with an open door to the possibilities of what's to come. Thank you for reading and for reviewing and for being with me on this journey. Blessed be. **_


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